130. "And Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed" (Beresheet 42:9). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles" (Mishlei 24:17). Come and behold, The Holy One, blessed be He, created man, so that he would be worthy of His glory, serve Him always, and be occupied with the Torah day and night, because the Holy One, blessed be He, ever takes delight in the Torah.
131. When the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, He put the Torah before him and taught him how to know its ways. How do we know this? From the words, "Then He saw it, and declared it; He established it, yea, and searched it out," which is followed by: "And to man He said, Behold, the fear of Hashem, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" (Iyov 28:27-28). Because he inquired into her, but did not keep her, he transgressed the command of his Master and was caught for his sin.
132. All those who transgress one precept of the Torah are caught for it. King Solomon, who was wisest among all the people in the world, transgressed only one precept of the Torah BY HAVING MANY WIVES and caused his kingdom to pass on from him BECAUSE, AS THE SAGES SAID, ASMODEUS MADE AN IGNORANT MAN OF HIM and caused his kingdom to be divided from the time of his sons. This is even truer for those who transgress MANY PRECEPTS OF the Torah.
133. HE ASKS, Joseph knew the Torah, AND HER WORDS "YOU SHALL NOT AVENGE, NOR BEAR ANY GRUDGE" (VAYIKRA 19:18). Why then, when his brothers fell into his hands, did he bring upon them all these things, when he knew the Torah his father had taught him? HE REPLIED, Heaven forbid TO THINK that Joseph did all this to take revenge upon them. He did it only to bring his brother Benjamin to him, for he longed for him. He did not leave his brothers wanting, as it is written, "Then Joseph gave orders to fill their sacks with grain" (Beresheet 42:25), so they would not come to grief.
134. Rabbi Yehuda continued WITH THE VERSE, "THEN HE SAW IT..." (IYOV 28:27). When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the moon, THE NUKVA, He beheld her constantly, as it is written, "The eyes of Hashem your Elohim are always upon it" (Devarim 11:12), for she was constantly under His care. It is written, "Then He saw;" He saw that the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, by looking AT THE NUKVA became illumined, FOR IT RECEIVES SIGHT, THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH, ONLY WHEN HE IS UNITED WITH THE NUKVA. He asks, In the phrase, "And declared it (Heb. vaysapera) (Ibid.)," what does "vaysapera" mean? HE ANSWERS, The same as in the verse, "The stones of it are the place of sapphires" (Heb. sapir) (Ibid. 6); IT IS DERIVED FROM THE SFIROT AND ILLUMINATION.
135. "He established it" together with her repairs so she would be divided into twelve groups and be given to seventy angels. He fixed for her seven supernal pillars through which she would receive lights and exist in wholeness. The phrase, "And searched it out" MEANS HE SEARCHED HER OUT AND attended to her always SO THAT THE OTHER SIDE WILL NOT NOURISH ITSELF FROM HER.
136. He then warned man thus, "And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of Hashem, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding'" (Iyov 28:28). Because "THE FEAR OF HASHEM," THE NUKVA, is adorned with all the lower beings so they will learn to fear and know Hashem through her strength. SHE IS THEREFORE CHOCHMAH. And "to depart from evil is understanding (Heb. binah)." The separation of pollution so it will not approach HOLINESS with her, WHICH IS "DEPART FROM EVIL," is the purpose of the existence of Binah, THAT IS, the knowledge and beholding of the glory of the highest King.
137. Rabbi Yosi rose one night to study the Torah. There happened to be a Jew there, whom he met in that house. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse, "Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness (also: 'charity') delivers from death" (Mishlei 10:2). "Treasures of wickedness profit nothing" are those who are not occupied with the study of the Torah, but follow worldly matters and gather wicked treasures. Of them it is written, "But those riches perish by evil adventure" (Kohelet 5:13), because they are wicked treasures.
138. "But righteousness delivers from death" refers to those who are occupied with the study of the Torah and know how to study her ways, for the Torah is called the Tree of Life and Righteousness, as it is written, "And it shall be accounted righteousness in us" (Devarim 6:25). Another explanation of "but righteousness delivers from death" is that it refers to charity given to the poor. There are two ways to read and understand it: THE WORD RIGHTEOUSNESS may be understood as the Torah, or it may simply mean charity, yet all is one.
139. That Jew said, you may read IN THE WORD RIGHTEOUSNESS the meaning of peace. Rabbi Yosi said to him, Assuredly, she is called peace. The Jew rose to study THE TORAH with him. The Jew quoted the verse, "He who tills his land shall have plenty of bread, but he who follows after vain persons shall have poverty enough" (Mishlei 28:19). This verse is difficult to understand. How could King Solomon, who was the wisest of all men, say that a man should strive to cultivate the earth, till it, and neglect everlasting life?