Shemot: Chapter 21

"And his sister stood afar off"

Synopsis

Initially, a discussion of the title verse identifies "his sister" as the children of Yisrael, from whom Zeir Anpin is concealed at a distance. The discussion then turns to reinforce the idea that the righteous, and especially Moses, are known above before they descend to this world, and their souls are drawn from a high place. We learn that just as the body has both a mother and father, the soul also has a mother and father. Indeed, everything above and below is produced by a male and a female. Finally, a further interpretation of the title verse reveals that, "And his sister stood," is lower Wisdom, which would stand "afar off" when Judgment accused Yisrael of their sins. Then the Shechinah distanced Herself from them too.

Relevance

Each of us contains a spark of divinity, a portion of our soul that is truly Righteous. Here we connect to the ultimate root of our soul, to the innermost depth and highest grade. All the souls of the Righteous above, and those among us, impregnate us in this moment, to elevate us to the highest possible level. We become one.

We learn that the Shechinah, the Divine Presence, distances itself from this world each time we behave with any form of reactivity, including intolerance, anger, envy, impatience, greed, selfishness, and the like. These verses reconnect us to this Divine Light so that it is no longer far off, but rather near to us, one with us, at all times and without end.

Congregation Jeremiah Love Moses Shechinah Zeir Anpin

199. "And his sister stood afar off..." (Shemot 2:4). HE ASKS, Whose sister? AND HE ANSWERS, The sister of he who called the Congregation of Yisrael "my sister," MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, as is said, "Open to me my sister, my love" (Shir Hashirim 5:2) - MEANING THE SHECHINAH STOOD BY MOSES TO GUARD HIM. "Afar off" is as is written, "Hashem appeared of old (also: 'from afar') to me" (Yirmeyah 31:2), MEANING THAT KEEPING IS NOT IN THE OPEN, BUT RATHER HIDDEN, FROM A DISTANCE.

199. וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחוֹתוֹ מֵרָחוֹק וְגוֹ.' וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחוֹתוֹ, אֲחוֹתוֹ דְּמַאן. אֲחוֹתֵיה, דְּהַהוּא דְּקָרָא לִכְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲחוֹתִי. כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, פִּתְחִי לִי אֲחוֹתִי רַעְיָתִי. מֵרָחוֹק: כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר מֵרָחוֹק ה' נִרְאָה לִי.

Adam Body Congregation Daughter Earth Female Living Creatures Male Moses Nukva Prophets Righteous Soul, The Zeir Anpin

200. It seems that the righteous are known above before their descent to the world; this refers to all THE RIGHTEOUS, and all the more so to Moses. THEREFORE IT IS SAID OF HIM, "SHE SAW HIM" (SHEMOT 2:6) SPELLED WITH HEI-VAV, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE IMPRESSION MADE BY THE KING AND THE QUEEN, AS ALREADY MENTIONED. And it is also understood that the souls of the righteous are drawn from a high place, as we explained IN THE PASSAGE, "AND THERE WENT A MAN OF THE HOUSE OF LEVI" (IBID. 1) - WHICH IS THE SECRET OF YESOD OF CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, WHICH IS A HIGH PLACE. The secret of this is what we learned from here, that the soul has a father and a mother, WHICH ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA, BECAUSE MAN IS ZEIR ANPIN AND THE DAUGHTER OF LEVI IS THE NUKVA. Similarly, there is a father and mother to the body on earth. And it appears that in all aspects, whether above or below, everything comes forth from a male and a female, and we have explained the secret of the passage, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures" (Beresheet 1:24). "The earth," refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, WHO IS NUKVA. "Living creatures" (lit. 'soul'), is the soul of Adam, as we explained - BECAUSE ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA ARE FATHER AND MOTHER OF THE FIRST MAN, AS WE EXPLAINED. Rabbi Aba came and kissed him. He said, Assuredly, you are speaking beautifully and it is definitely so. Fortunate is the portion of Moses, the faithful prophet, above all the other prophets of the world.

200. מַשְׁמַע, דְּאִינּוּן זַכָּאִין, עַד לָא נַחְתּוּ לְעָלְמָא, אִשְׁתְּמוֹדָעָאן אִינּוּן לְעֵילָּא, לְגַבֵּי כֹּלָּא, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן מֹשֶׁה. וּמַשְׁמַע נָמֵי, דְּנִשְׁמָתֵהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּא, אִתְמְשָׁכוּ מֵאֲתָר עִלָּאָה, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא. וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה אוֹלִיפְנָא, דְּמַשְׁמַע, דְּאָב וָאֵם אִית לְנִשְׁמְתָא, כְּמָה דְּאִית אָב וָאֵם לְגוּפָא בְּאַרְעָא, וּמַשְׁמַע, דִּבְכָּל סִטְרִין, בֵּין לְעֵילָּא, בֵּין לְתַתָּא, מִדְכָּר וְנוּקְבָּא אַתְיָין כֹּלָּא וּמִשְׁתַּכְחֵי. וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ רָזָא, דִּכְתִּיב, תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה. הָאָרֶץ: דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה: נַפְשָׁא דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה עִלָּאָה, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמַר. אָתָא רִבִּי אַבָּא וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ. אָמַר וַדַּאי שַׁפִּיר קָאֲמַרְתְ, וְהָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא, עַל כָּל שְׁאַר נְבִיאֵי עָלְמָא.

Jeremiah Judgment Nukva Shechinah Sin Wisdom

201. "And his sister stood." This is Chochmah, THE NUKVA THAT IS CALLED THE 'LOWER CHOCHMAH.' As is said, "Say to wisdom, 'You are my sister" (Mishlei 7:4). Rabbi Yitzchak said, The decree of Judgment was never removed from the world. For every time that Yisrael sinned, Judgment accused them, and then "his sister stood afar off." FOR THE SHECHINAH DISTANCED HERSELF FROM THEM, as is said, "Hashem appeared from afar to me."

201. ד"א וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחוֹתוֹ דָּא הִיא חָכְמָה, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר, אֱמוֹר לַחָכְמָה אֲחוֹתִי אָתְּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, מֵעוֹלָם לָא אִתְעֲדִיאַת גִּזְרַת דִּינָא מֵעָלְמָא, דְּהָא בְּכָל שַׁעְתָא דְּהֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל חָטָאן, הֲוָה דִּינָא מְקַטְרְגָא עִמְּהוֹן, וּכְדֵין, וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחוֹתוֹ מֵרָחוֹק. כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר מֵרָחוֹק ה' נִרְאָה לִי.

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