Miketz
Earth Egypt Evil Heavens Jacob Joseph Shechinah

84. "Now Jacob saw that there were provisions in Egypt" (Beresheet 42:1). THIS VERSE IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE THE SHECHINAH LEFT HIM WHEN JOSEPH WAS SOLD. THEREFORE, HOW COULD HE HAVE SEEN THAT THERE WERE PROVISIONS IN EGYPT? Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, "The burden of the word of Hashem concerning Yisrael. The saying of Hashem, who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him" (Zecharyah 12:1). We have to study this verse carefully. HE ASKS, What is the meaning of burden in the various passages? HE ANSWERS, Whenever the word burden is used in reference to judging other nations, the word has a good meaning; whenever it is used in a reference to Yisrael, it has an evil meaning.

84. וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב כִּי יֵשׁ שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרַיִם וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב לְבָנָיו וגו.' ר' חִיָּיא פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, מַשָּׂא דְבַר יי' עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם יי' נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיוֹסֵד אָרֶץ וְיוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֹ, הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בֵּיהּ, מַשָּׂא דְּבַר יי,' בְּכָל הַנֵּי אֲתַר דְּקָאֲמַר מַשָּׂא, מַשָּׂא אַמַּאי. אֶלָּא, בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּאִיהוּ עַל דִּינָא דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין וַאֲמַר מַשָּׂא, לְטַב. בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּאִיהוּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַר מַשָּׂא, לְבִישׁ.

Evil Idolatry Judgment Punishment Sin

85. HE EXPLAINED, Wherever it speaks of judging the other nations, the word burden has a good meaning, because it is used literally, for the welfare of the idolatrous nations is a burden to the Holy One, blessed be He. But when judgment is upon them, He removes the burden He assumed for their sake. HENCE, WHEN BURDEN IS MENTIONED IN RELATION TO THEM, IT IS FOR GOOD. Wherever judgment has been pronounced upon Yisrael and the word "burden" is used, it is a burden on the Holy One, blessed be He, TO PUNISH YISRAEL. It is a double burden, BECAUSE IT IS A BURDEN FOR HIM WHEN HE DOES PUNISH THEM AND WHEN HE DOES NOT, IT IS A BURDEN FOR HIM. IF HE DOES NOT PUNISH THEM, THEY WILL REMAIN DEFILED BY SIN; IF HE DOES PUNISH THEM HE IS SORRY FOR THEIR TROUBLES. THEREFORE WHEN "BURDEN" IS MENTION IN REGARD TO THEM, IT IS FOR EVIL.

85. בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּאִיהוּ עַל דִּינָא דִשְׁאָר עַמִין, לְטַב, בְּגִין דְּמַשָּׁא מָטוֹלָא אִיהוּ, כִּבְיָכוֹל מָטוֹלָא אִיהוּ עֲלֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, שָׁלוֹם דְּעַמִּין עַכו"ם, וְכַד אִתְגְּזַר דִּינָא עֲלַיְיהוּ מַעֲבַר מִנֵּיהּ הַהוּא מָטוֹלָא דְּאִיהוּ סָבִיל עֲלַיְיהוּ. בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּדִינָא אִתְגְּזַר עֲלַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַאֲמַר מַשָּׂא, כִּבְיָכוֹל מָטוֹלָא אִיהוּ עֲלֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, מַשָּׂא מֵהַאי גִיסָא, וּמֵהַאי גִיסָא, מָטוֹלָא אִיהוּ.

Earth Grades Heavens Nukva Point Soul, The

86. HE ASKS, After the words, "who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth," why is it added, "and forms the spirit of man within him?" Would not we know He "forms the spirit of man within him" IF IT WERE NOT WRITTEN? HE REPLIES, These words point at a certain grade, where all the spirits and souls of the world are found, NAMELY THE NUKVA, WHERE THE SPIRITS AND SOULS ARE, AND FROM WHOM THE LOWER BEINGS RECEIVE.

86. כֵּיוָן דַּאֲמַר נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיוֹסֵד אָרֶץ, אַמַּאי אִצְטְרִיךְ וְיוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֹ, וְכִי לָא הֲוֵינָא יָדְעֵי, דְּאִיהוּ יוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם, אֶלָּא לְאַחֲזָאָה דַרְגָּא יְדִיעָא, דְּכָל רוּחִין וְנִשְׁמָתִין דְּעַלְמָא, בְּהַהוּא דַּרְגָּא קָיְימִין.

Eden Fetus Flow Grades Nukva Rivers Soul, The Women

87. Rabbi Shimon said, This verse is difficult. If it said, "Forms the spirit of man," it would suffice, but what is the meaning of "within him?" HE ANSWERS, The secret of this verse is on the two sides, YESOD AND THE NUKVA. For from the river, which flows and comes out FROM EDEN, YESOD, all the souls come out and soar into one place, THE NUKVA. That grade, YESOD, "forms the spirit of man within him," WITHIN THE NUKVA, which resembles a woman, who conceives from a man, whose fetus presses her bowels until it is fully formed in her belly. Thus, He "forms the spirit of man within him," WITHIN THE NUKVA, and THE SPIRIT stands there TO BE FORMED until man enters the world, and She gives him THE SPIRIT.

87. רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲמַר, הַאי קְרָא קַשְׁיָא, אִי אֲמַר וְיוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם וְלָא יַתִּיר יָאוֹת, אֲבָל בְּקִרְבּוֹ מַהוּ. אֶלָּא רָזָא אִיהוּ בִּתְרֵין סִטְרִין, דְּהָא מֵהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגֵיד וְנָפֵיק, מִתַּמָּן נָפְקֵי וּפָרְחֵי נִשְׁמָתִין כֻּלְּהוּ, וְאִתְכְּנִישׁוּ בַּאֲתַר חָד, וְהַהוּא דַרְגָּא אִיהוּ יוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֹ, וְהַאי כְּאִתְּתָא דְאִתְעַבְּרָא מִן דְּכוּרָא, וְהַהוּא וְלָדָא, צָרַת לָהּ בִּמְעָהָא. עַד דְּאִצְטַיֵּיר כֹּלָּא בְּצִיּוּרָא שְׁלִימוּ בִּמְעָהָא, כָּךְ וְיוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֹ, בְּקִרְבּוֹ קָיְימָא, עַד דְּאִתְבְּרֵי בַּר נָשׁ בְּעַלְמָא וְיָהֵב לֵיהּ.

Body Creation Nukva Soul, The

88. Another explanation for "forms the spirit of man within him" IS THAT IT MEANS within man himself, NOT IN THE SUPERNAL NUKVA; for when a man is created, the Holy One, blessed be He, provides him with His soul. Only then is he born into the world. The spirit finds that it does not have enough room to expand within the body, so it stands on one side, NAMELY THE RIGHT, INSTEAD OF EXPANDING RIGHT AND LEFT.

88. דָּבָר אֲחֵר, וְיוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֹ, בְּקִרְבּוֹ דְּאָדָם מַמָּשׁ. בְּגִין דְּכַד אִתְבְּרֵי בַּר נָשׁ, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יְהַב לֵיהּ נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ, וְנָפֵיק לַאֲוִירָא דְעַלְמָא, הַהוּא רוּחָא דִּבְגַוֵּיהּ, לָא אַשְׁכַּח גּוּפָא לְאִתְפַּשְּׁטָא בְּגַוֵּיהּ, וְקָיְימָא בְּסִטְרָא חַד בְּגַוֵּיהּ.

Body Strength

89. When a man's body grows, the spirit also grows and gives it strength. When the body grows, the spirit allots man power with which to strengthen himself. Thus, He indeed "forms the spirit of man within him."

89. וְכַד בַּר נָשׁ אִתְפַּשַׁט גּוּפֵיהּ, הַהוּא רוּחָא אִתְפַּשַּׁט, וְיָהֵיב בֵּיהּ חֵילָא, וְכֵן כְּגַוְונָא דְגוּפָא אִתְרַבֵּי, הָכֵי רוּחָא יָהֵיב חֵילָא בֵיהּ, לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא בַּר נַשׁ בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ יוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֹ מַמָּשׁ.

Strength

90. You may ask about THE MEANING OF the phrase, "forms the spirit of man within him." HE EXPLAINS, Because the spirit needs additional strength as support from above, the Holy One, blessed be He, "forms the spirit of man within him" and thus enables it TO EXPAND within man.

90. וְאִי תֵימָא יוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם מַהוּ, בְּגִין דְהַהוּא רוּחָא, אִצְטְרִיךְ חֵילָא דִלְעֵילָא יַתִּיר לְאִסְתַּיְיעָא בַּהֲדֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ יוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֹ, וְיָהֵיב לֵיהּ סִיּוּעָא בְּבַר נָשׁ.

Body Purification

91. Come and behold, When that spirit needs help, it is perfected from above in accordance with man's worth and the condition of his body. It is also given an additional spirit, FOR WHOEVER WISHES TO BE PURIFIED IS HELPED. This is the meaning of "forms the spirit of man within him." MAN IS GIVEN AN ADDITIONAL PORTION OF SPIRIT THAT IS ABLE TO EXPAND WITHIN HIS BODY.

91. תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד הַהוּא רוּחָא אִצְטְרִיךְ סִיּוּעָא, כְּגַוְונָא דְאִיהוּ הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, וּכְגַוְונָא דְּהַהוּא גוּפָא אִתְתַּקַּן, הָכֵי נָמֵי הַהוּא רוּחָא מְתַקְנִין לֵיהּ, וְאוֹסְפִין לֵיהּ רוּחָא לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא, וְדָא הוּא יוֹצֵר רוּחַ אָדָם בְּקִרְבּוֹ.

Jacob Joseph Shechinah

92. Come and behold, When Jacob lost Joseph, he lost the additional portion of the spirit that was in him, and the Shechinah departed from him. It is written later: "The spirit of Jacob their father revived" (Beresheet 45:27). HE ASKS, Was he dead until then? HE ANSWERS, Only the additional spirit was gone from him. His sadness caused his spirit to withdraw. The scripture, therefore, reads, "The spirit of Jacob their father revived."

92. וְתָּא חֲזֵי כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְאֲבֵיד יוֹסֵף מֵאֲבוֹי, יַעֲקֹב אָבֵיד הַהוּא תּוֹסֶפֶת רוּחָא דַּהֲוָה לֵיהּ, וְאִסְתַּלְּקַת מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא, לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם, וְכִי עַד הַשְׁתָּא מִית הֲוָה. אֶלָּא הַהוּא תּוֹסֶפֶת רוּחָא אִסְתַּלַּק מִנֵּיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא, וְלָא הֲוָה בְּגַוֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּעִצְבוֹנָא דַּהֲוָה בֵּיהּ גָּרְמָא לֵיהּ, לָא הֲוָה רוּחֵיהּ בְּקִיּוּמֵיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם.

Egypt Jacob Joseph Shechinah

93. It is written, "Now Jacob saw THAT THERE WERE PROVISIONS IN EGYPT," WHICH MEANS THAT HE SAW IT THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE ASKS, But he was not yet informed THAT JOSEPH WAS ALIVE AND THE SHECHINAH WAS STILL GONE FROM HIM. How did he learn THAT THERE WERE PROVISIONS IN EGYPT? HE ANSWERS, "Jacob saw" MEANS THAT he saw the inhabitants of the country go to Egypt and bring provisions; HE DID NOT SEE THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

93. וְהָכָא כְּתִיב וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב, דְּעַד כְּעָן לָא אִתְבַּשַּׂר, מְנָא הֲוָה יָדַע, אֶלָּא וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב, דְּחָמָא לְכָל דָּיְירֵי אַרְעָא דְּאָזְלֵי לְמִצְרַיִם, וּמַיְיתָן עִבּוּרָא.