Lighting upon means words of reconciliation

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar gives his interpretation of the time that Jacob was on his way to Haran and was met by angels of Elohim.

Relevance

The divine energy that erupts during the evening prayer flows from the letters that compose this passage to correct our world of Malchut. This energy arouses atonement in our hearts, for conciliation is the only way to conjoin our world with the Upper World, just as a man appeases his wife before he joins in sexual union with her. This gift of correction is given to us courtesy of Jacob.

Angels Correction (Tikun) Evil Jacob Prayer Tikun (Correction)

235. He began: "And Jacob went on his way, and angels of Elohim met him" (Beresheet 32:2). HE ASKS, What is the meaning of "met him?" AND ANSWERS THAT there is a meeting for good, a meeting for evil and a meeting for prayer. When Jacob was on his way to Haran, what does scripture tell us? "And he came upon the place" (Beresheet 28:11), for he prayed the evening service at that place, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'PLACE,' as it is written: "Behold, there is a place by Me" (Shemot 33:21). For the evening prayer is proper for that place; THAT IS, THE EVENING PRAYER IS THE ASPECT OF CORRECTION OF MALCHUT, AND THIS IS IN ACCORD WITH WHAT WAS SAID ABOVE: "MEETING IS NONE OTHER THAN PRAYER."

235. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, וְיַעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וַיִּפְגְעוּ בוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹֹהִים. מַאי וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בּוֹ. אֶלָּא אִית פְּגִיעָה לְטָב. וְאִית פְּגִיעָה לְבִישׁ. וְאִית פְּגִיעָה לִצְלוֹתָא. אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲוָה אָזִיל לְחָרָן, מַה כְּתִיב. וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם, צְלוֹתָא דְּעַרְבִית הֲוָה דְּצַלֵּי בְּהַהוּא מָקוֹם. כד"א, הִנֵּה מָקוֹם אִתִּי. וּצְלוֹתָא דְּעַרְבִית בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר אִתְחֲזֵי.

Astrology Moon Sun Zeir Anpin

236. Again. "And he lighted on a certain place" (Beresheet 28:11). This means that he spoke words of conciliation, NAMELY AS HE HAS ALREADY NOTED: THERE IS NO MEETING THAT IS NOT CONCILIATION. "because the sun was set" (Ibid.), the holy one, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, comes to the moon, WHICH IS MALCHUT, the husband to the wife. It follows that it is not right for a husband to come to his wife without words of appeasement to placate her, for it is written: "And he lighted on a certain place," WHICH MEANS THAT HE ADDRESSED HER WITH WORDS OF APPEASEMENT. And afterwards: "And he stayed there the night" (Ibid.). But what does scripture tell us about his return from Haran? "met him" (Beresheet 32:2), NAMELY MALCHUT sent messengers to placate him, so that he would come in to her.

236. תּוּ וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם, מִלֵּי פִּיּוּסִין אִיהוּ. דְּאָתָא שִׁמְשָׁא קַדִּישָׁא לְגַבֵּי סִיהֲרָא, בַּעְלָהּ לְגַבֵּי אִתְּתָא. מִכָּאן דְּלָא יֵאוֹת לַבַּעַל לְמֵיתֵי לְגַבֵּי אִתְּתָא, אִי לָא הֲוֵי בְּמִלֵּי פִּיּוּסִין לְפַיְּיסָא לָהּ. דִּכְתִּיב וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם, וּלְבָתַר וַיָּלֶן שָׁם. כַּד הֲוָה אָתֵי יַעֲקֹב מֵחָרָן, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיִּפְגְּעוּ בוֹ, שַׁדְרַת הִיא לְפַיְּיסָא לֵיהּ, לְמֵיתֵי לְגַבָּהּ.

Angels Camp Jacob Shepherd Zeir Anpin

237. "And when Jacob saw them, he said" (Ibid. 3). HE ASKS, What is the meaning of "when Jacob saw them?" AND HE ANSWERS THAT they were the daytime angels OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHO IS CALLED 'DAY,' and the night time angels OF MALCHUT, WHO IS CALLED 'NIGHT.' They were hidden from him and subsequently revealed to him, which is why: "when Jacob saw them," it is written: "This is Elohim's camp." From here we know that there were those of the day and those of the night. Concerning those of the night, it is written "Elohim's camp" FOR MALCHUT IS CALLED 'ELOHIM,' and concerning those of the day, it is written: "This," FOR ZEIR ANPIN IS CALLED "THIS." And thus the verse continues: "and he called the name of that place Machanaim (lit. 'two camps')." And now I see here holy camps, NAMELY THE CAMP OF RABBI SHIMON AND THE CAMP OF RABBI PINCHAS. Happy is my path that brought me here!

237. וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָם. מַאי כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָם. אִלֵּין מַלְאָכִין דְּיוֹם, וּמַלְאָכִין דְּלַיְלָה הֲווֹ, וְאִתְכְּסִיאוּ מִנֵּיהּ, וּלְבָתַר אִתְגַּלְּיָין לֵיהּ. וע"ד כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאָם, כְּתִיב מַחֲנֶה אֱלֹֹהִים זֶה. מֵהָכָא דַּהֲווֹ אִלֵּין דִּימָמָא, וְאִלֵּין דְּלֵילְיָא. אִינּוּן דְּלֵילְיָא כְּתִיב בְּהוּ, מַחֲנֶה אֱלֹֹהִים, וְאִינּוּן דִּימָמָא, כְּתִיב בְּהוּ, זֶה. וע"ד וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא מַחֲנָיִם. תְּרֵין מַשִׁרְיָין. וְהַשְּׁתָּא מַשִׁרְיָין קַדִּישִׁין חֲמֵינָא הָכָא. זַכָּאָה אָרְחִי דַּאֲתֵינָא הָכָא.