"And, behold, I will bring the flood of waters," part two

Synopsis

The spiritual insight conveyed here by the Zohar concerns an individual who commits a terrible deed, but still retains a spark of shame, a degree of embarrassment, or a slight awareness of the wrongfulness of his actions. There is still hope for this person and the path of repentance remains open to him. But those who commit wanton acts of evil, without any remorse for their actions, are considered to be past the point of no return. This section helps us maintain awareness of what constitutes positive and negative spiritual actions.

Earth Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Peace Strength Waters

148. "And, behold, I will bring the flood of waters upon the earth" (Beresheet 6:17). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with the verse: "These are the waters of strife, wherein the children of Yisrael strove with Hashem and He was sanctified by them" (Bemidbar 20:13). AND HE ASKS: This is not the only place where the children of Yisrael strove with Hashem. Why does the text say "waters of strife" here, but not at any other place? AND HE REPLIES: These waters in particular are the waters of strife, for they gave strength and power to the Prosecutor. There are sweet water and bitter waters, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF HOLINESS AND ITS OPPOSITE - OF THE RIGHT COLUMN. And there are pure and mucky waters, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF HOLINESS AND ITS OPPOSITE - OF THE LEFT COLUMN. And there are waters of peace and of strife, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF HOLINESS AND ITS OPPOSITE - OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN. That is why IT IS WRITTEN: "These are the waters of strife, wherein the children of Yisrael strove with Hashem," THIS SHOWS THAT "THE WATERS" REFERS TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN. As they drew upon themselves that which they should not have DRAWN, NAMELY THE OPPOSITE SIDE, CALLED THE WATERS OF STRIFE and they were defiled by them. And this is why it is written, "and He was sanctified by them."

148. וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֶת הַמַּבּוּל מַיִם עַל הָאָרֶץ, ר' יְהוּדָה פְּתַח, הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה אֲשֶׁר רָבוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת ה' וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ בָּם, וְכִי בַּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא לֹא רָבוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת ה', מ"ש הָכָא דְּקָאָמַר הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה, וְלָא אָחֳרָנִין. אֶלָּא הַנֵּי מֵי מְרִיבָה הֲווֹ וַדַּאי, דְּיָהֲבוּ חֵילָא וְתוֹקְפָא לְמָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא לְאִתְתַּקְפָא, בְּגִין דְּאִית מַיִין מְתוּקִין, וְאִית מַיִין מְרִירָן, אִית מַיִין צְלִילָן, וְאִית מַיִין עֲכִירָן, אִית מַיִין שְׁלָם, וְאִית מַיִין קְטָטוּ. וְע"ד הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה אֲשֶׁר רָבוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת ה', דְּאַמְשִׁיכוּ עֲלַיְיהוּ, לְמַאן דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ, וְאִסְתְּאִיבוּ בֵּיהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ בָּם.

Angels Astrology Moon Nukva Praise Waters

149. Rabbi Chizkiyah asked him: If it is so, then why is it written: "and He was sanctified,"? It should have been written: 'and they were sanctified' IN THE PLURAL, REFERRING TO THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL. AND HE REPLIES THAT there is a hidden meaning to the words "He was sanctified." THEY INDICATE THAT something that should not be damaged is damaged. It is as if the moon, WHICH IS THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE, has been damaged. So the word "sanctified" is not mentioned here for praise, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR THE DISCRETION EXPRESSED IN THE SCRIPTURES. AND RABBI YEHUDA CONCLUDED THAT "And, behold, I will bring the flood of waters" means that He shall send the Angel of Destruction upon them, just as they defiled themselves with him, as we have stated previously.

149. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי חִזְקִיָה, אִי הָכֵי, מַאי וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ, וַיִּקָּדְשׁוּ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, אֶלָּא מִלָּה אִסְתְּלֵיקַת, וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ, אִתְפְּגֵם מַאן דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, דְּאִתְפְּגֵימַת סִיהֲרָא. וַיִּקָּדֵּשׁ לָאו לְשִׁבְחָא אִיהוּ הָכָא. וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֶת הַמַּבּוּל, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, לְאַיְיתָאָה מְחַבְּלָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, כְּמָה דְאִינוּן אִסְתְּאָבוּ בֵּיהּ.

Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Repentance Sin Wicked Wickedness

150. אֲמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וַוי לוֹן לְרַשִּׁיעַיָא, דְּלָא בָּעָאן לַאֲתָבָא, קַמֵּי קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן בְּעוֹד דְּאִינוּן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, דְּכַד ב"נ אָתֵיב, וְאִתְנֶחָם עַל חוֹבוֹי, קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָחִיל לֵיהּ. וְכָל אִינוּן דְּמִתְתַּקְפִין בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ, וְלָא בָּעֵי לַאֲתָבָא קַמֵּי קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן, לְבָתַר יִנְפְּלוּ לַגֵּיהִנֹּם וְלָא יִסְקוּן לֵיהּ מִתַּמָּן לְעָלְמִין.

Judgment Noah Repentance Sin Waters

151. Come and behold: Because the generation of Noah was stubborn and bold enough to sin openly, the Holy One, blessed be He, brought Judgment upon them in the same manner. Rabbi Yitzchak said that if a person sins, and he does so secretly, then the Holy One, blessed be He, is merciful. If he repents, he is pardoned and forgiven. But if he does not repent his sins, He reveals them for all to see. How do we know this? We learn this from the way in which the faithless wife WHO SINS SECRETLY IS TREATED AND FROM HOW THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, REVEALS HER SIN OUT IN THE OPEN WITH THE CURSING WATERS.

151. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּגִין דְּאַתְקִיפוּ לִבַּיְיהוּ, כָּל אִינוּן דָּרָא דְּנֹחַ, וּבָעוּ לְאַחֲזָאָה חוֹבַיְיהוּ בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא, קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַיְיתֵי דִינָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, בְּהַהוּא גַוְונָא. אָמַר רָבִּי יִצְחָק, וַאֲפִילּוּ כַּד חָטֵי ב"נ בְאִתְכַּסְיָא, קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רַחֲמָן, וְאִי תָּב ב"נ לְגַבֵּיהּ, חָפֵי עֲלֵיהּ, וּמָחִיל לֵיהּ וְשָׁבִיק לֵיהּ, וְאִי לָא, גָּלֵי לֵיהּ לְעֵינֵי כֹלָּא, מְנָלָן, מִסּוֹטָה.

Abyss Earth Face Flesh Judgment Resurrection Skin Waters Wicked Wickedness

152. In the same manner, the wicked, NAMELY THE GENERATION OF THE FLOOD, were openly destroyed and wiped from the face of the earth. And how were they wiped out? The scalding waters spurted up from the abyss, skinning them alive. As skin was torn from flesh, they were left only with their bones - and then the bones came asunder. As it is written: "They were destroyd from the earth" (Beresheet 7:23). Rabbi Yitzchak said: "And they destroyed from the earth." What is meant by the expression "destroyed out?" It is similar to, "Let them be blotted out from the book of living" (Tehilim 69:29). We learn from this that they shall not participate in the resurrection and will not stand for judgment.

152. וְהָכֵי נָמֵי אִתְמְחוּן אִלֵּין חַיָּיבַיָא מֵאַרְעָא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא, וְהֵיךְ אִתְמְחוּן. אֶלָּא דַּהֲווֹ נָפְקֵי מַיָיא, וַהֲווֹ רְתִיחָן, מִן תְּהוֹמָא, וְסָלְקֵי וְאַעֲבַר מִנַּיְיהוּ מָשְׁכָא, וְכֵיוָן דְּאַעֲבַר מִנַּיְיהוּ מָשְׁכָא, הָכֵי נָמֵי בִּשְׂרָא, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּאָרוּ אֶלָּא בְּגַרְמַיְיהוּ לְחוֹד, לְקַיְימָא דִכְתִיב וַיִּמָּחוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ. וְכָל אִינוּן גַּרְמֵי, אִתְפָּרְדָן דָּא מִן דָּא, וְלָא אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ כַּחֲדָא, וּמִכֹּלָא אִתְעֲבָרוּ מֵעָלְמָא. רַבִּי יִצְחָק אֲמַר, וַיִּמָּחוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ, מַאי וַיִּמָּחוּ, כד"א יִמָּחוּ מִסֵּפֶר חַיִּים, מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא דְּלֵית לוֹן תְּחִיָּה לְעָלְמִין, וְלָא יְקוּמוּן בְּדִינָא.