Noach: Chapter 33

"And the fear of you and the dread of you"

Synopsis

Man has two bodies, one composed of Light - Tzelem Elohim, or Image of God - and the other composed of physical matter. The Light body is our protective shield that shines and projects outward from our physical selves. The Zohar explains that even deadly animals fear us when this force radiates at maximum power. Negative actions gradually weaken and dim this protective Light. This arouses fears within us, which in turn make us vulnerable to destructive external forces.

This secret is concealed in the Torah story of God blessing Noah and his children so that all the animals shall fear them. Knowing this secret rekindles the Light aspect of our body.

Adam Earth Fear Form Likenesses Point Sin

252. "And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be" (Beresheet 9:2) MEANS THAT from now on, you shall take the form of human beings, FROM WHICH THE WILD BEASTS FEAR. FROM THE TIME OF ADAM'S SIN UNTIL THIS POINT, they did not take the form of human beings. Now come and behold: In the beginning it is written, THE WILD BEASTS WERE AFRAID OF MAN "for He made man in the image of Elohim " (Ibid. 6), and also, "He made him in the likeness of Elohim " (Beresheet 5:1). But as people sinned, they no longer maintained the supernal image, and they became afraid of the beasts of the field.

252. וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם וְחִתְּכֶם יִהְיֶה. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, יְהֵא לְכוֹן דְּיּוֹקְנִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, דְּהָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא לָא הֲווֹ דְּיוֹקְנִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמֵיתָא כְּתִיב בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹקִים עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם. וּכְתִיב בִּדְמוּת אֱלֹקִים עָשָׂה אוֹתוֹ. כֵּיוָן דְּחָטוֹ אִשְׁתַּנּוּ דְּיוֹקְנַיְיהוּ, מֵהַהוּא דְּיוֹקְנָא עִלָּאָה, וְאִתְהַפָּכוּ אִינוּן לְמִדְחַל מִקַּמֵּי חֵיוָון בְּרָא.

Eyes Fear

253. Formerly, the creatures of the world looked upon man and saw the holy supernal image and trembled with fear. But as people sinned, their image was transformed in the eyes of the beasts. This is why human beings now tremble with fear of other creatures.

253. בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, כָּל בְּרִיָּין דְּעָלְמָא, זָקְפָן עַיְינִין, וְחָמָאן דְּיוֹקְנָא, קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, וְזָעָאן וְדָחֲלִין מִקַּמֵּיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּחָטוֹ אִתְהַפַּךְ דְּיוֹקְנַיְהוּ, מֵעֵינַיְיהוּ, לִדְיוֹקְנָא אָחֳרָא. וְאִתְהַפַּךְ דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא זָעִין וְדָחֲלִין קַמֵּי שְׁאָר בְּרִיָּין.

Fear Form Precepts Sin Torah

254. Come and behold: All the people who do not sin before their Master and do not transgress against the precepts of the Torah, retain the divine splendor of the image OF ELOHIM. Therefore all the creatures of the world tremble with fear of them. But when the people transgress against the precepts of the Torah, their shape changes and they tremble and fear other creatures, because the supernal shape has left them. Because the beasts cannot see the supernal form in them anymore, they are ruled by the beasts of the field.

254. תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל אִינוּן בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, דְּלָא חָטָאן קַמֵּי מָארֵיהוֹן, וְלָא עָבְרִין עַל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא. זִיו דְּיוֹקְנָא דִּלְהוֹן, לָא אִשְׁתַּנֵּי מֵחֵיזוּ דִּדְיוֹקְנָא עִלָּאָה. וְכָל בְּרִיָּין דְּעָלְמָא, זָעִין וְדָחֲלִין קַמֵּיהּ. וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא עָבְרִין עַל פִּתְגָּמֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, אִתְחַלַּף דְּיוֹקְנָא דִלְהוֹן, וְכָלְהוֹ זָעִין וְדָחֲלִין מִקַּמֵּי בְּרִיָין אָחֳרָנִין, בְּגִין דְּאִתְחַלַּף דְּיוֹקְנָא עִלָּאָה, וְאִתְעֲבַר מִנַּיְיהוּ, וּכְדֵין שָׁלְטֵי בְּהוֹ חֵיוַת בְּרָא, דְּהָא לָא חָמוֹ בְּהוֹ, הַהוּא דְּיוֹקְנָא עִלָאָה כִּדְקָחָזֵי.

Air Ark Creation Fish Seas

255. When THEY LEFT THE ARK AND the world was renewed, He blessed them by granting them dominion over all THE CREATURES, even over the fish in the sea. As it is written: "And upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand they are delivered" (Beresheet 9:2). Rabbi Chiya said that "into your hand they are delivered," indicates that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He delivered everything into the hands of man. As it is written: "and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air..." (Beresheet 1:28). THAT IS TO SAY, THEY WERE SUBJUGATED TO PEOPLE ON THE DAY THAT ADAM WAS CREATED.

255. וְעַל כָּךְ, הַשְׁתָּא כֵּיוָן דְּעָלְמָא אִתְחַדַּשׁ כְּמִלְּקַדְּמִין, בָּרִיךְ לוֹן, בְּרָכָה דָא, וְשַׁלֵּיט לוֹן עַל כֹּלָּא, כד"א וְכָל דְּגֵי הַיָּם בְּיֶדְכֶם נִתָּנוּ. וַאֲפִילּוּ נוּנֵי יַמָּא. ר' חִיָּיא אֲמַר, בְּיֶדְכֶם נִתָּנוּ. מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא. דְּכַד בְּרָא קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא מְסַר כֹּלָּא בִּידֵהוֹן, דִּכְתִיב, וּרְדוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וגו'.

David Grades Noah Prayer Sin Ten Wisdom

256. "And Elohim blessed Noah." Rabbi Chizkiyah opened his discourse on the verse, "Of David, Maskil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Tehilim 32:1). He said that although this passage has been explained, it contains deep secrets of wisdom. We have learned that King David praised the Holy One, blessed be He, with ten levels of praises, WHICH ARE: CONDUCTING; PLAYING MELODY; MASKIL; EPIGRAMS (MICHTAM); PSALMS; SONG; BLESSING; PRAYER; THANKSGIVING, AND HALLELUYAH. THROUGH THESE PRAISES, KING DAVID ESTABLISHED THE BOOK OF TEHILIM. Maskil is the level THAT REFERS TO THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH, and David perfected himself before attaining this level.

256. וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹקִים אֶת נֹחַ, רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פְּתַח, לְדָוִד מַשְׂכִּיל אַשְׁרֵי נְשׂוּי פֶּשַׁע כְּסוּי חֲטָאָה. הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, אֲבָל קְרָא דָא, בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא אִתְּמָר. דְּהָא תָּנִינָן, בַּעֲשָׂרָה זִינֵי שִׁבְחָא, שַׁבַּח דָּוִד לְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ מַשְׂכִּיל. וְהוּא דַּרְגָּא חַד מֵאִינוּן עֲשָׂרָה. וְדָוִד אַתְקֵין גַּרְמֵיהּ עַד לָא יִשְׁרֵי עֲלוֹי הַאי דַּרְגָּא.

Sin

257. "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven." THIS MEANS THAT when the Holy One, blessed be He, weighs the sins and the merits of men, transgression is forgiven when the merits overcome the sins and are pulled downward on the scale. THIS MEANS THAT HE HAS MORE MERITS THAN SINS. When this happens, his "transgression is forgiven."

257. אַשְׁרֵי נְשׂוּי פֶּשַׁע: דְּהָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַתְקֵיל חוֹבֵי וְזַכְוָון דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, דְּהַהוּא תִיקְלָא, דְּבִסְטַר חוֹבִין מִסְתַּלְּקִין, וְאִינוּן אוֹחֳרָנִין, זַכְיָין דְּאִינוּן בְּתִיקְלָא אָחֳרָא, מַכְרִיעִין לְתַתָּא, דָּא הוּא נְשׂוּי פֶּשַׁע.

Adam Angels Ark Evil Fear Form Judgment Living Creatures Noah Sin Tree

258. The verse, "Whose sin is covered," means that when Judgment prevails in the world, sin should be covered so that the Angel of Destruction does not take control of it. This is what happened with Noah DURING THE FLOOD, when the Holy One, blessed be He, shielded him from Adam's sin (OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL) that he brought down upon the world. BECAUSE THE ANGEL OF DESTRUCTION DID NOT SEE NOAH, HE WAS UNABLE TO TAKE HOLD ON HIM AND PUNISH HIM. But because Adam brought sin upon the world, WE FIND THAT the other creatures were given control, the human being is afraid of them, and the world has not reached perfection. So when Noah left the ark, the Holy One, blessed be He, blessed him. As it is written: "And Elohim blessed Noah and his sons..." . AND ALSO, "THE FEAR OF YOU AND THE DREAD OF YOU SHALL BE UPON EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD..." WHICH MEANS THAT HIS FORM BECAME LIKE THAT OF ADAM BEFORE THE SIN OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE, WHEN ALL THE CREATURES FEARED HIM.

258. כְּסוּי חֲטָאָה: בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְדִינָא שַׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא, דִּיהֵא מְחַפְיָא, דְּלָא יִשְׁלוֹט עֲלוֹי מְחַבְּלָא, כְּמָה דַּהֲוָה לְנֹחַ, דְּכַסֵּי לֵיהּ קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מֵהַהוּא חֲטָאָה, דְּאַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ אָדָם עַל עָלְמָא. דְּכֵיוָן דַּחֲטָאָה דָא, אַנְגִיד אָדָם עַל עַלְמָא, שְׁאָר בְּרִיָּין שָׁלְטָאן, וּבַר נָשׁ דָּחִיל מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְעָלְמָא לָא אַתְקִין בְּתִקּוּנֵיהּ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, כַּד נָפַק נֹחַ מִתֵּיבוּתָא, קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרְכֵיהּ. דִּכְתִיב, וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹקִים אֶת נֹחַ וְאֶת בָּנָיו וגו'.

Blessing Noah Nukva

259. "And you, be fruitful, and multiply" (Beresheet 9:7). HE RAISED THE ISSUE THAT women do not seem to be included in these blessings, as the verse mentions only Noah and his sons, but not women. Rabbi Shimon said that the term "and you" WITH AN ADDED VAV, WHICH MEANS 'AND,' indicates that the males and the females were both included. THE LETTER VAV THAT APPEARS HERE INDICATES THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE. Not only that, but in the verse, "And Elohim blessed Noah," THE UNNESSACERY WORD ET, WHICH IS THE NAME OF THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE, IS MENTIONED HERE to include NOAH'S wife. And in the line, "And (et) his sons," THE PARTICLE ET IS USED to indicate that their wives are included.

259. וְאַתֶּם פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ. בְּהַנֵּי בִּרְכָאן, לָא אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ נוּקְבֵי, אֶלָּא אֶת נֹחַ וְאֶת בָּנָיו, אֲבָל נוּקְבֵי לָא אֲמַר קְרָא. אָמַר רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְאַתֶּם כְּלָלָא דִּדְכוּרֵי וְנוּקְבֵי כַּחֲדָא. וְתוּ, אֶת נֹחַ, לְאַסְגָּאָה נוּקְבֵיהּ. וְאֶת בָּנָיו, לְאַסְגָּאָה נוּקְבֵי דִלְהוֹן.

Earth Mount Sinai Precepts Seven Torah

260. Because it is written: "And as for you, be fruitful, and multiply," propagate your kind, WE KNOW THAT WOMEN WERE ALSO BLESSED. And from here onward, "bring forth abundantly in the earth" (Beresheet 9:7), in which the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them - to all of them who followed after - seven precepts of the Torah. When Yisrael stood on Mount Sinai, they were given all the precepts of the Torah together.

260. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וְאַתֶּם פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ. לְמֶעְבַּד תּוֹלְדוֹת. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה שִׁרְצוּ בָאָרֶץ. וְהָכָא יָהֵיב לוֹן קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא שֶׁבַע פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא. לוֹן וּלְכָל דְּאָתוּ אֲבַתְרַיְיהוּ, עַד דְּקָיְימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּטוּרָא דְסִינַי, וְאִתְיְיהַב לוֹן כָּל פִּקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא כַּחֲדָא.

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