Pekudei: Chapter 34

The dross of gold

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda wonders why Yisrael chose a calf to make from the gold and not something else, and he wonders who chose it as an image for Elohim. Rabbi Shimon tells how the chieftain who is in charge of the strength of the sun looks like a calf and it is the sun that generates the red gold on earth. He says that red is the spirit of unholiness, and it is also the evil serpent that Samael rides on. He draws a distinction between 'this', referring to the Holy Spirit, and 'these', referring to the spirit of unholiness, 'this' and 'these' being found in many verses of the Torah.

Aaron Gold Holiness (Kedushah) Sin

306. Come and see: When the children of Yisrael did what they did, and committed that sin, why did they choose a calf, and not something else? If you say they chose the calf, this is not so. They only said, "Arise, make us Elohim, which shall go before us" (Shemot 32:1), and Aaron wanted to detain them. WHO THEN CHOSE THE CALF?

306. תָּא חֲזֵי כַּד עָבְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא, וְגָרְמוּ לְהַהוּא חוֹבָא, מַאי טַעֲמָא עֵגֶל, וְלָא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא. וְאִי תֵּימָא, דְּאִינּוּן בְּרִירוּ עֶגְלָא, לָאו הָכִי. אֶלָּא אִינּוּן אָמְרוּ, קוּם עֲשֵׂה לָנוּ אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר יֵלְכוּ לְפָנֵינוּ, וְאַהֲרֹן רְעוּתֵיהּ הֲוָה לְאַעְכְּבָא לוֹן.

Aaron Colors Destruction Directions Earth Fire Gold Holiness (Kedushah) Mountains Red Strength Sun

307. HE REPLIES: Assuredly this was done properly. For from the side of gold, THE LEFT COLUMN, the dross comes out when the gold is refined. From THE DROSS OF GOLD are spread all the aspects of the left, the fusion of the refuse, spread to different directions. They are all of a red color, the hue of gold found in the mountains, when the sun is strong. For the strength of the sun shines upon the gold and generates it on earth. The chieftain, in charge of the strength of the sun, resembles a calf in his looks, and is called "the destruction that wastes at noonday" (Tehilim 91:6). The red fusion of the gold is coming out of the calf, NAMELY, THAT CHIEFTAIN, AND ALSO all those coming from that red, which is the spirit of unholiness, AND ALSO all those issuing from that spirit of unholiness and spreading in the world. THEREFORE, THE CALF WAS MADE BY THE FUSION OF THE GOLD THAT AARON THREW INTO THE FIRE.

307. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי עֲבִידְתָּא אִתְעָבֵיד כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי, דְּהָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּדַהֲבָא, נָפְקָא סוּסְפִיתָא, כַּד אִתְבְּרִיר דַּהֲבָא, וּמִתַּמָּן מִתְפַּשְּׁטֵי כָּל אִינּוּן סִטְרֵי שְׂמָאלָא, דְּאִינּוּן הִתּוּכָא דְּהַהוּא סוּסְפִיתָא דְּדַהֲבָא, וּמִתְפָּרְשָׁאן לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין. וְכָל אִינּוּן דְּאִית לוֹן חֵיזוּ סוּמָקָא, גָּוֶון דְּדַהֲבָא קַיְימָא בְּטוּרֵי, כַּד שִׁמְשָׁא בְּתוּקְפֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּתּוּקְפָּא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא אַחְזֵי דַּהֲבָא, וְאוֹלִיד לֵיהּ בְּאַרְעָא. וְהַהוּא דִּמְמָנָא בְּהַהוּא תּוּקְפָּא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא, חֵיזוּ דִּילֵיהּ כְּעֶגְלָא, וְאִקְרֵי קֶטֶב יָשׁוּד צָהֳרָיִם, וְדָא נָפְקָא מִגּוֹ עֶגְלָא הִתּוּכָא סוּמָקָא דְּדַהֲבָא, וְכָל הָנֵי אַתְיָין מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא סוּמָקָא, רוּחַ מְסַאֲבָא, דְּכָל אִינּוּן דְּמִתְפָּרְשֵׁי מֵרוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא מִתְפַּשְּׁטֵי בְּעָלְמָא.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Crowns Evil Female Golden Calf Holiness (Kedushah) Male Samael Serpent Sin Zot (This, Fem.)

308. The spirit of unholiness is the evil serpent, upon which rides SAMAEL, a male and a female called 'these', so called for appearing in the world in all their several aspects. The Holy Spirit is called 'this' (Heb. zot, fem.), the secret of the Covenant, the holy sign always found on men, NAMELY, THE CROWN OF YESOD. It is also CALLED 'this' (Heb. ze, masc.), as it is written, "this is Hashem" (Yeshayah 25:9), and "this is my El" (Shemot 15:2). But the others are called 'these', as it is written, "these are your Elohim, Yisrael" (Shemot 32:4), and "these may forget" (Yeshayah 49:15), REFERRING TO THE MAKING OF THE GOLDEN CALF, "yet I (the secret of 'this') shall not forget you" (Ibid.). It is also written, "for these I weep" (Eichah 1:16), because the sin OF THE CALF CALLED 'THESE' caused them much weeping.

308. וְהַאי רוּחַ מִסְאֲבָא, אִיהוּ חִוְיָא בִּישָׁא. וְאִית מַאן דְּרָכִיב עָלֵיהּ, וְאִינּוּן דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא. וְאִקְרוּן אֵלֶּה, דְּאִינּוּן מִזְדַּמְּנִין בְּעָלְמָא, בְּכָל אִינּוּן סִטְרִין דִּלְהוֹן. וְרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא אִקְרֵי זֹאת, דְּאִיהִי רָזָא דִּבְרִית, רְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח תָּדִיר עִמֵּיהּ דב"נ. וְכֵן זֶה יְיָ', זֶה אֵלִי, אֲבָל אִלֵּין אִקְרוּן אֵלֶּה, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל. ובג"כ כְּתִיב, גַּם אֵלֶּה תִשְׁכַּחְנָה. וְאָנֹכִי רָזָא דְּזֹאת, לֹֹא אֶשְׁכָּחֵךְ. וּכְתִיב עַל אֵלֶּה אֲנִי בוֹכִיָּה, דְּהַהוּא חוֹבָה גָּרִים לְמִבְכֵּי לוֹן כַּמָה בִּכְיָין.

Holiness (Kedushah) Temple, The

309. Another explanation OF THE VERSE "for these I weep": because the place CALLED 'THESE' was given permission to rule over Yisrael and destroy the Temple, it is written, "for these I weep." The secret of the matter is that "for these" is the side of defilement CALLED 'THESE', which was given permission to rule. "I weep" refers to the Holy Spirit, NAMELY MALCHUT, called 'I'.

309. ד"א עַל אֵלֶּה אֲנִי בוֹכִיָּה. מ"ט. בְּגִין דְּאִתְיְיהִיב רְשׁוּ לַאֲתָר דָּא לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְחַרְבָּא בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא. וּבְגִין דְּאִתְיְיהִיב לוֹן רְשׁוּ לְשַׁלְּטָאָה, כְּתִיב עַל אֵלֶּה אֲנִי בוֹכִיָּה, רָזָא דְּמִלָּה עַל אֵלֶּה דָּא סִטְרָא דִּמְסָאֲבָא דְּאִתְיְיהִיב לוֹן רְשׁוּ לְשַׁלְּטָאָה. אֲנִי בוֹכִיָּה דָּא רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא דְּאִקְרֵי אֲנִי.

Beasts Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Curse Holiness (Kedushah) Moses Other Side Precepts Purification Torah

310. And if you say, "these are the words of the covenant" (Devarim 28:69), is written AS CHASTISEMENT, HE ANSWERS: Assuredly so, FOR HERE ALSO THERE IS AN ALLUSION TO THE OTHER SIDE, because all these curses have existence only in 'these', where are all the curses are found as explained THAT THE OTHER SIDE is damned, as it is written, "you are cursed above...every beast" (Beresheet 3:14). For that reason 'these' precede, referring to whoever transgresses "the words of the covenant." ALSO, "these are commandments, which Hashem commanded Moses" (Vayikra 27:34), for the precepts of the Torah purify man so he would not stray to the path OF 'THESE', but beware of them, and stay away from them.

310. וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא כְּתִיב אֵלֶּה דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית. הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּכָל אִינּוּן לָא מִתְקַיְּימִין, אֶלָּא מִגּוֹ אֵלֶּה, דְּתַמָּן כָּל לְוָוטִין כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא דְּאִיהוּ אָרוּר, דִּכְתִּיב אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה. ובג"כ, אַקְדִּים וְאָמַר אֵלֶּה, דְּקַיְּימָא לְמַאן דְּעָבַר דִּבְרֵי הַבְּרִית. אֵלֶּה הַמִּצְוֹת אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְיָ' אֶת מֹשֶׁה, בְּגִין דְּפִקּוּדַיָּא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא לְאִתְדַכְּאָה בַּר נָשׁ, וְלָא יִסְטֵי לְאוֹרְחָא דָּא, וְיִסְתָּמַר מִתַּמָּן, וְיִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנַּיְיהוּ.

Holiness (Kedushah) Noah Other Side

311. You may say "these are the generations of Noah, Noah..." (Beresheet 6:9). Assuredly, THE OTHER SIDE WAS THERE TOO, because he begot Ham, the father of Canaan, upon which it is written, "cursed be Canaan" (Beresheet 9:25). This is the secret of writing 'these', THAT HE IS CURSED.

311. וְאִי תֵּימָא אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ נֹחַ. הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּהָא נָפַק חָם, דְּאִיהוּ אֲבִי כְּנַעַן, וּכְתִיב אָרוּר כְּנַעַן, וְאִיהוּ רָזָא דָּא דְּאֵלֶּה.

Aaron Fire Gold Holiness (Kedushah) Strength

312. Hence they are all the fusion of the dross of gold. And Aaron offered gold, which is of his own side, THE ASPECT THEREOF included in the strength of fire, MEANING THAT RIGHT IS INCLUDED IN THE LEFT, AND THEREFORE, AARON, WHO IS RIGHT WAS COMPRISED WITHIN THE LEFT, WHICH IS THE STRENGTH OF FIRE. And all is one. This side, LEFT, is gold and fire.

312. וְעַל דָּא כָּל הָנֵי הִתּוּכָא סוּסְפִיתָא דְּדַהֲבָא. וְאַהֲרֹן קָרִיב דַּהֲבָא, דְּאִיהוּ סִטְרָא דִּילֵיהּ, דְּכָלִיל אִיהוּ בְּתּוּקְפָּא דְּאֶשָּׁא, וְכֹלָּא חַד, וְסִטְרָא דָּא דַּהֲבָא וָאֶשָּׁא.

<
>