The liver and the heart
Rabbi Shimon says that the heart (God) takes from the liver only that which is pure and clean, leaving all the foulness for Samael, who distributes it to the idol worshipping nations.
Once again, we discover how the spiritual worlds mirror the function of the physical body, shedding further light on the ultimate origins of disease. In essence, when we listen to and respond to selfish impulses (reactive behavior), we succumb to the prodding of our evil adversaries - the angels Satan/Samael and Lilit. Each time we're responsive to their provocations - the rush to judgment, the urge to scream, the need to mistreat another person, the impulse to lie and deceive - their strength and hold over our body and our life increases. Their stronghold, the Zohar tells us, is the liver. Physically, the liver filters our blood and then sends it, cleaned and purified, to the heart. This medical truth is revealed by the Zohar in this way: "...everything that the liver is holding it sacrifices to the heart, which is the King, to nourish him... He takes everything that is clear and pure, NAMELY all the merits and the good deeds..." That last statement alludes to the relationship among a good liver, purified blood, a healthy heart, and our positive behavior. The bile of the liver absorbs fat as well as waste and toxic matter from the blood. This function is encoded into the following text of Zohar: "...all the foulness, the filth and the dirt, which are the bad deeds, He leaves for the liver, WHICH IS SAMAEL."
Our selfish impulses come from Samael. If we allow our selfish impulses to guide us in life, then SAMAEL has the power to send impurities of the blood from the liver to the heart. In other words, our reactive, stress-induced behavior creates negative energy that manifests physically in our body as heart disease. This truth is found in the following verse: "And the iniquities of His people are in the arteries AND SINEWS that pulsate in the heart."
Research shows that heart disease kills twice as many people as cancer and is one of the leading causes of death. The Zohar passage that we are now discussing provides us with spiritual Light that removes stress and anxiety from our being. We are imbued with the strength to resist reactive emotions and desires - and with the ability to resist heart disease. Our blood is cleansed. Fatty deposits, also called plaque, are extracted from the walls of our arteries and dissolved away. The entire cardiovascular system is cleared and regenerated. Heart- related illnesses and diseases are treated and cured as the Light extinguishes the dark influences of the negative adversaries.
In verse 375, the Zohar explains that skin sores, boils, and leprosy are rooted in the liver and toxins that remain in our body. In addition to heart disease, these Zohar verses also heal all skin-related diseases.