Noach: Chapter 27

"And they bore up the ark"

Synopsis

Every negative action we commit literally pushes away God's presence - the Shechinah - from our midst. The further away we push this Light, the dimmer our reality becomes. With each new level of darkness, more chaos and turmoil manifest in our lives. This section of Zohar helps us arouse the Light to remove the darkness created by our iniquities.

Ark Death and the Afterlife Earth Heavens Shechinah Sin Wicked Wickedness

204. "And they bore up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth." Rabbi Aba began by saying, "Be You exalted above the heavens, Elohim, let Your glory be above all the earth" (Tehilim 57:6). Woe to the wicked who sin and provoke their Master, every day. For by their sins they push the Shechinah out of the earth and cause Her to leave this world. Because the Shechinah is called 'Elohim,' it is said about Her, "Be you exalted above the heavens, Elohim."

204. וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת הַתֵּבָה וַתָּרָם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ. רַבִּי אַבָּא פְּתַח, רוּמָה עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם אֱלֹקִים עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדֶךָ. וַוי לוֹן לְחַיָיבַיָא. דְּאִינוּן חָטָאן, וּמַרְגִּיזִין לְמָארֵיהוֹן בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וּבְחוֹבַיְיהוּ דַּחְיָין לָהּ לַשְּׁכִינְתָּא מֵאַרְעָא, וְגָרְמִין דְּתִסְתַּלֵּק מֵעָלְמָא, וּשְׁכִינְתָּא אִקְרֵי אֱלֹקִים, וַעֲלָהּ כְּתִיב, רוּמָה עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם אֱלֹקִים.

Ark Earth Judgment Shechinah Wicked Wickedness

205. Come and behold: It is written: "And they bore up the ark," MEANING that they pushed THE SHECHINAH OUT, FOR THE ARK IS THE SHECHINAH. The words, "and it was lifted up above the earth," MEAN THAT THE SHECHINAH no longer resided in the world, having removed Herself from it. When She left the world, no one was left to protect it any longer and Judgment prevailed. But after the wicked were destroyed and removed from the world, the Shechinah made Her dwelling in the world again.

205. תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת הַתֵּבָה, דְּדַחְיָין לָהּ לְבַר. וַתָּרָם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ דְּלָא שַׁרְיָיא בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִסְתַּלְקַת מִנָּהּ. וְכַד אִסְתַּלְקַת מֵעָלְמָא, הָא לֵית מַאן דְּיַשְׁגַּח בְּעָלְמָא. וְדִינָא שָׁלְטָא כְּדֵין עֲלוֹי. וְכַד יִתְמָחוּן חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא, וְיִסְתַּלְּקוּן מִנֵּיהּ, שְׁכִינְתָּא אֲהַדְרַת מְדוֹרָהּ בְּעָלְמָא.

Destruction Egypt Exile Holy Land (Holy) Temple Jeremiah Righteous Shechinah Wicked Wickedness

206. Rabbi Yesa asked him: If it is so, then why after the wicked who had lived in the land of Yisrael during THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE were blotted out, did the Shechinah not return to Her place? Rabbi Aba answered him: Because AFTER THE DESTRUCTION, the righteous of the world did not remain in THE HOLY LAND, BUT LEFT FOR EGYPT, AS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH. Wherever they went in exile, THE SHECHINAH followed and resided among them. If She did not leave them even in a strange land, then certainly, had the people stayed in Yisrael, SHE WOULD HAVE RETURNED TO THEM AFTER THE DESTRUCTION.

206. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יֵיסָא, אִי הָכֵי, הָא אַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל דְּאִתְמָחוֹן חַיָּיבַיָא, דַּהֲווֹ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, אַמַּאי לָא אֲהַדְּרַת שְׁכִינְתָּא לְאַתְרָהּ, כִּדְבְקַדְמֵיתָא. אָמַר לוֹ בְּגִין דְּלָא אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ בָהּ, שְׁאָר זַכָּאֵי עָלְמָא. אֶלָּא בְּכָל אֲתַר דַּאֲזָלוּ, נַחְתַת, וְשַׁוִּיאַת מְדוֹרָהּ עִמְּהוֹן. וּמַה בְּאַרְעָא נוּכְרָאָה אָחֳרָא, לָא אִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנַּיְיהוּ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִי אִשְׁתְּאָרוּ בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא.

Earth Face Shechinah Sin Wicked Wickedness

207. So it is clear by now that the sins of the wicked caused the Shechinah to depart. One of those sins is the sin of man corrupting his way upon the earth, as we have previously explained. Such a person shall not see the face of the Shechinah, nor shall he enter the palace OF THE KING. This is why it is written that "they were destroyed from the earth," destroyed completely.

207. וְהָא אִתְּמָר, בְּכָל חוֹבִין, דְּחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא, דַּחְיָין לָהּ לַשְּׂכִינְתָּא, חַד מִנַּיְיהוּ מַאן דִּמְחַבֵּל אוֹרְחֵיהּ עַל אַרְעָא, כִּדְאֲמָרָן. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, לָא חָמֵי אַנְפֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא, וְלָא עָאל בְּפַלְטֵרִין. וְעַל דָּא כְתִיב בְּאִלֵּין, וַיִּמָּחוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ. אִתְמָחוֹן מִן כֹּלָּא.

Body Bone Land of Yisrael Resurrection

208. Come and behold: When the time comes and the Holy One, blessed be He, resurrects the dead, He shall make all the dead in countries other than THE LAND OF YISRAEL rise and stand in their bodies, for one bone is left from the human body as it lies underground, and it is like a lump of dough from which the Holy One, blessed be He, shall rebuild the whole body.

208. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּזַמִּין קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְאַחְיָיאָה מֵתַיָיא, כָּל אִינוּן מֵתִין דְּיִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן לְבַר, בִּשְׁאָר אַרְעִין נוּכְרָאִין, קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יִבְרָא לוֹן גּוּפַיְיהוּ, כִּדְקָא חָזֵי. דְּהָא גַּרְמָא חַד, דְּאִשְׁתָּאַר בֵּיהּ בְּבַר נָשׁ, תְּחוֹת אַרְעָא. הַהוּא גַרְמָא יִתְעֲבֵיד כַּחֲמִירָא בְּעִיסָה, וַעֲלֵיהּ יִבְנֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּל גּוּפָא.

Earth Land of Yisrael Resurrection Soul, The

209. But He shall not restore their souls to them until they are in the land of Yisrael, as it is stated: "Behold I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people, and I will bring you into the land of Yisrael." They will roll through underground passages AND COME TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL. Next, it is written: "I will put My spirit in you and you shall live" (Yechezkel 37:12-14). Only in the land of Yisrael will they receive their souls, except those who have defiled themselves and the land, NAMELY THE GENERATION OF THE FLOOD. As for them, it has been declared, "They were destroyed from the earth." From the earth MEANS PRECISELY THAT THEY SHALL NOT RISE DURING THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD AND SHALL NOT COME TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL TO RECEIVE THEIR SOULS. Although some of the ancient sages differ in their opinion, CLAIMING THAT THEY SHALL BE RESURRECTED, WHAT HAS BEEN SAID STANDS. FOR the term "destroyed" is similar to the expression: "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living" (Tehilim 69:28), MEANING THAT THEY SHALL NEVER BE RESURRECTED.

209. וְלָא יָהֵיב לוֹן קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נִשְׁמָתִין, אֶלָּא בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. דִּכְתִיב הִנֵּה אֲנִי פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת קִבְרוֹתֵיכֶם וְהַעֲלֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם מִקִּבְרוֹתֵיכֶם עַמִּי וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם אֶל אַדְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּיִתְגַּלְגְּלוּן תְּחוֹת אַרְעָא, וּלְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב, וְנָתַתִּי רוּחִי בָכֶם וִחְיִיתֶם וגו'. דְּהָא בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל יְקַבְּלוּן נִשְׁמָתִין, כָּל אִינוּן בְּנֵי עָלְמָא. בַּר אִלֵּין דְּאִסְתָּאֲבוּ וּסְאִיבוּ אַרְעָא, בְּאִלֵּין כְּתִיב, וַיִּמָּחוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ. מִן הָאָרֶץ דַּיְיקָא וְאַף עַל גָּב דְּאַקְשׁוּ וְאַפְלִיגוּ קַדְמָאֵי עַל דָּא. וַיִּמָּחוּ, כד"א יִמָּחוּ מִסֵּפֶר חַיִים.

Earth Judgment World to Come, The

210. Rabbi Shimon said to him: Undoubtedly, THE GENERATION OF THE FLOOD will have no share in the World to Come, as it is written: "They were destroyed from the earth." Analogously, it is written: "they shall inherit the land (earth) forever" (Yeshayah 60:21). AND WE LEARN THAT THE WORD "EARTH" HAS THE SAME MEANING IN BOTH SENTENCES. Nevertheless, they shall rise and stand for Judgment. As they are described: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2). Even though opinions differ on this matter, everything is as the friends have explained.

210. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וַדַּאי לֵית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי, דִּכְתִיב וַיִּמָּחוּ מִן הָאָרֶץ. וּכְתִיב, לְעוֹלָם יִרְשׁוּ אָרֶץ. אֲבָל יְקוּמוּן בְּדִין, וַעֲלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב וְרַבִּים מִישֵׁנִי אַדְמַת עָפָר יָקִיצוּ אֵלֶּה לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם וְאֵלֶּה לַחֲרָפוֹת וּלְדֵרָאוֹן עוֹלָם. וּפְלוּגְתָּא בְּהָא, אֲבָל כֹּלָּא כְּמָה דְאוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָיא.

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