"For in another seven days"

Synopsis

Learning the words that compose these powerful verses help us understand the spiritual dangers associated with the wasting of one's sperm. The negative forces in our midst automatically attach themselves to any gateway where the greatest Light can shine. This is Yesod in the Upper World, and the sexual organ in the physical world.

The Kabbalist, however, does not consider the vague concepts of morality and codes of right and wrong as motivation for maintaining sexual relations within the spiritual confines of marriage. Rather, it is our own spiritual understanding of the metaphysical forces at work, including the laws of cause and effect, that will provide the impetus. Historically, religious and moral authorities, according to the Kabbalist, have not been granted great influence in regulating sexual relations. Instead, individual people must be empowered with knowledge that can assist them in understanding the consequences of their actions. If they are to be truly motivated, people must recognize the benefits to themselves derived from any particular spiritual action.

Creation Earth Face Rain Seven Ten Wicked Wickedness Wind

55. "For in another seven days, I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights" (Beresheet 7:4). Rabbi Yehuda said: What is the meaning of these forty days and forty nights? These forty days are to strike the wicked of the world, as is written: "Forty strikes he may give him, and not exceed" (Devarim 25:3), corresponding to the four winds of the world, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH, BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, As each one has ten, THERE ARE ALTOGETHER FORTY. For man was created from the four winds of the world. So, the verse continues: "And every living substance that I have made will I destroy from the face of the earth." Forty strikes are needed to destroy the world.

55. כִּי לְיָמִים עוֹד שִׁבְעָה אָנֹכִי מַמְטִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה וגו'. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אֲמַר הָנֵי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה, מַאי עֲבִידְתַּיְיהוּ, אֶלָּא, אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם לְאַלְקָאָה חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא, וּכְתִיב אַרְבָּעִים יַכֶּנּוּ לֹא יוֹסִיף, לָקֳבֵל אַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא, לְכָל חַד עֲשָׂרָה, בְּגִין דְּב"נ מֵאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא אִתְבְּרֵי, וְעַל דָּא וּמָחִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם, וְאִצְטְרִיךְ אַרְבָּעִים לְאַלְקָאָה וּלְאִתְמְחֵי עָלְמָא.

Earth Flesh Sin

56. Rabbi Yitzchak was visiting Rabbi Shimon, and he asked him about the verse that states: "And the earth was corrupt before the Elohim" (Beresheet 6:11). Now, if it was man who sinned and was corrupt, what was the earth's sin? Rabbi Shimon answered, as it is written: "For all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth" (Ibid.) and, also, "And the land was defiled, therefore I do punish its iniquity upon it" (Vayikra 18:25). So it is mankind that sins. But if you ask what is the sin of the earth, you should know that mankind constitutes the essence of the earth. If mankind corrupts it, it becomes corrupted. This is proven by the verse: "And Elohim looked on the earth, and, beheld it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth."

56. רַבִּי יִצְחָק הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמַר לוֹ הַאי קְרָא דִּכְתִיב וַתִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹקִים, אִי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא חָטָאן, אַרְעָא בַּמֶּה. אָמַר לוֹ, בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר, כְּגַוְונָא דָא, וַתִּטְמָא הָאָרֶץ וָאֶפְקוֹד עֲוֹנָהּ עָלֶיהָ. אֶלָּא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא חָטָאן, וְאִי תֵימָא אַרְעָא בַּמֶּה, אֶלָּא עִקְּרָא דְאַרְעָא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אִינוּן, וְאִינוּן מְחַבְּלִין אַרְעָא, וְהִיא אִתְחַבָּלַת, וּקְרָא אוֹכַח, דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁחָתָה כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ.

Earth Er Evil Eyes Firstborn Jeremiah Judah Repentance Semen Sin Wicked Wickedness

57. Come and behold: all of man's sins and corruption can be atoned for by repentance. But by the sin of spilling his seed on the earth, man corrupts himself and the earth as well. And of such a person, it is written: "The stain of your iniquity is before Me," (Yirmeyah 2:22) and "For You are not an El that has pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil sojourn with You" (Tehilim 5:5). THIS MEANS THAT A PERSON WHO WASTES HIS SEMEN ON THE EARTH IS CALLED EVIL, AND HE SHALL NOT SOJOURN ANYMORE WITH THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. IN OTHER WORDS, HE SHALL NOT ACCEPT HIS REPENTANCE, except after great penitence. It is also written that "Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Hashem; and Hashem slew him" (Beresheet 38:7), as was explained earlier.

57. תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל חֶטְאוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ, כָּלְהוֹ חַבָּלוּתָא דִילֵיהּ, תַּלְיָין בִּתְשׁוּבָה, וְחֶטְאָה דְּאוֹשִׁיד זַרְעָא עַל אַרְעָא, וּמְחַבְּלָא אָרְחֵיהּ, וְאַפֵּיק זַרְעָא עַל אַרְעָא, מְחַבֵּיל לֵיהּ, וּמְחַבֵּיל אַרְעָא. וַעֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב נִכְתַּם עֲוֹנֵךְ לְפָנַי, וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ כִּי לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אָתָּה לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע, בַּר בִּתְשׁוּבָה סַגֵּי. וּכְתִיב וַיְהִי עֵר בְּכוֹר יְהוּדָה רַע בְּעֵינֵי ה' וַיְמִיתֵהוּ ה', וְהָא אִתְּמָר.

Female Fire Judgment Male Water Waters

58. He asked him: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, bring His Judgment on the world - NAMELY, THE GENERATION OF THE FLOOD - punishing them with water and not with fire or something else? Rabbi Shimon replied that there is a secret behind this. As they corrupted their ways, the upper waters and the lower waters were unable to join as the male and the female ought. Anyone who corrupts his ways also corrupts the male and female waters. THIS MEANS THAT HE CAUSES A DEFECT IN THE MALE AND FEMALE WATERS, PREVENTING THEM FROM BEING CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER. So, they were punished by water, just as they had sinned.

58. אָמַר לוֹ אַמַּאי דָּאִין קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא בְּמַיָא, וְלָא בְּאֶשָׁא, וְלָא בְּמִלָּה אָחֳרָא. אָמַר לוֹ רָזָא הוּא, דְּהָא אִינוּן חַבִּילוּ אָרְחַיְיהוּ, בְּגִין דְּמַיִין עִלָאִין וּמַיִין תַּתָּאִין לָא אִתְחַבָּרוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, מַאן אִינוּן דְּחַבִּילוּ אָרְחַיְיהוּ, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא מַיִין דְּכוּרִין וְנוּקְבֵי. וְעַל דָּא אִתְדָּנוּ בְּמַיָא, בַּמֶּה דְאִינוּן חָבוּ.

Heaven Judgment Water Waters Windows

59. וּמַיִין הֲווֹ רְתִיחָן וּפָשְׁטוּ מַשְׁכָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, כְּמָה דְּחַבִּילוּ אָרְחַיְּיהוּ בְּמַיִין רְתִיחָן, דִּינָא לָקֳבֵל דִּינָא, הה"ד נִבְקְעוּ כָּל מַעְיְינוֹת תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, הָא מַיִין תַּתָּאִין. וַאֲרוּבּוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם נִפְתָּחוּ, דָּא מַיִין עִלָּאִין. מַיִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין.

Fear Ground Hundred Judgment Mountains Waters

60. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yehuda were walking on their way. Reaching some great mountains, they found human bones that belonged to the generation of the Flood. They walked alongside one of these bones, which measured three hundred steps. Astonished, they said to each other: This clarifies what our friends have said, that they did not fear the Judgment of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written: "They said to El, depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of Your ways" (Iyov 21:14). So what did they do? They clogged the fountains of the deep with their feet. But the waters were too hot, and when they could no longer bear it, they slipped, fell on the ground, and eventually died.

60. רַבִּי חִיָּיא וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה, הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא, וּמָטוֹ לְגַבֵּי טוּרִין רַבְרְבָן, וְאַשְׁכָּחוּ בֵּינֵי טוּרַיָא, גַּרְמֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, דַּהֲווֹ מֵאִינוּן בְּנֵי טוֹפָנָא, וּפָסְעוּ תְּלַת מְאָה פְּסִיעָן, בְּגַרְמָא חָדָא. תְּוָוהוּ, אֲמָרוּ, הַיְינוּ דַּאֲמָרוּ חַבְרָנָא, דְּאִינוּן לָא הֲווֹ מִסְּתָּפֵי מִדִּינָא דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָאֵל סוּר מִמֶּנּוּ וְדַעַת דְּרָכֶיךָ לֹא חָפָצְנוּ. מָה עֲבָדוּ, הֲווֹ סְתִימִין בְּרַגְלַיְיהוּ, מַבּוּעֵי תְהוֹמָא, וּמַיִין נָפְקִין רְתִיחָן, וְלָא יָכִילוּ לְמֵיקַם בְּהוֹ, עַד דַּהֲווֹ נִשְׁמָטִין, וּנְפָלוּ בְּאַרְעָא וּמַיְיתִין.