"...with Jacob; every man came with his household"

Synopsis

In reply to the question posed by Rabbi Yitzchak, Rabbi Elazar affirms that the Shechinah did indeed accompany Jacob into Egypt. A discussion ensues in which Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Aba, and Rabbi Yehuda each cite verses that indicate that thousands of celestial beings accompanied the Shechinah. Rabbi Elazar explains that in the verse, "And the children of Yisrael journeyed from Raamses to Sukkot about six hundred thousand footmen" (Shemot 12:37), the reference to the children of Israel is an allusion to the celestial hosts, God's servants, who naturally went with God when He went down into Egypt with Jacob, as was promised. Moreover, we are told that the children of Israel hurried to depart from Egypt because they realized these celestial beings were detained for their sake. Rabbi Aba then cites the verse, "Come and behold the works of Hashem, Who has made desolations (Heb. shamot) in the earth" (Tehilim 46:9), and explains that the word 'desolations' can also be read as 'names.' In corroboration with Rabbi Chiya's statement that earthly counterparts exist for all that is in heaven, Rabbi Aba concludes that just as there are holy names on earth, so are there holy names in heaven. Thus, "And these are the names of the children of Israel," refers to the angels who came to Egypt. Rabbi Yehuda then provides an interpretation of the verse, "Behold the litter, that of Solomon..." (Shir Hashirim 3:7) to reveal that this verse also refers to the angels that went with the Shechinah into Egypt. Finally, while traveling with Rabbi Yosi, Rabbi Chiya deduces that since all of Israel went with Moses to meet his father-in-law, God's heavenly company would certainly have accompanied Him into Egypt.

Relevance

Whenever we find ourselves in spiritual darkness or physical chaos, the Light of the Creator, along with all the supernal angelic forces, is always with us, ready to emancipate us from the slavery and addictions of the material world.

We only have to call upon the Holy Names to activate these Divine forces. These Names are recited as soon as we meditate upon this potent passage of Zohar. All the entities of Light that dwell above are amassed and set into motion. They descend into our world to liberate all humanity from the clutches of the dark side.

Chariot Egypt Hundred Jacob Shechinah

50. Rabbi Yitzchak was studying before Rabbi Elazar, the son of Rabbi Shimon, and said to him, Did the Shechinah REALLY descend into Egypt with Jacob? He said to him, Did She not? Is it not written, "And I will descend with you" (Beresheet 46:4)? He said to him, Come and behold. The Shechinah descended into Egypt with Jacob and six hundred thousand holy Chariots with Her. This is what is written, "About six hundred thousand footmen" (Shemot 12:37). And we learned that six hundred thousand holy Chariots descended with Jacob into Egypt, and they all ascended from there when the Yisrael left Egypt. This is what is written, "And the children of Yisrael journeyed from Ramses to Sukkot about six hundred thousand footmen" (Ibid.). It does not say 'six hundred thousand,' rather it says "about six hundred thousand." THIS IMPLIES THAT as the six hundred thousand BELOW left, so those SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND HOLY CHARIOTS FROM ABOVE WHO WERE WITH THEM left.

50. רִבִּי יִצְחָק הֲוָה קָאֵים קָמֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אָמַר לֵיהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא נַחְתַּת לְמִצְרַיִם עִם יַעֲקֹב. א"ל וְלָא, וְהָא כְּתִּיב אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ. אָמַר לֵיהּ תָּא חֲזֵי, שְׁכִינְתָּא נַחְתַּת לְמִצְרַיִם אֵת יַעֲקֹב וְשִׁית מְאָה אַלְפִין רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין עִמָּהּ, וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב כְּשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי, תָּנֵינָן שִׁית מֵאָה אַלְפִין רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין נַחְתּוּ עִם יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם, וְכֻלְּהוּ סְלִיקוּ מִתַּמָּן, כַּד נָפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, וַיִּסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵרַעְמְסֵס סֻכּוֹתָה כְּשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי וְגוֹ.' שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא כְּשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת, כְּגַוְונָא דְּנָפְקוּ אִלֵּין, כַּךְ נָפְקוּ אִלֵּין.

Angels Chariot Egypt Firmaments Jacob

51. Come and behold, This is the secret of the matter. When those holy Chariots and holy encampments departed, Yisrael then saw and knew they were being detained FROM LEAVING because of them, SINCE THEY WERE NOT LEAVING. And all the haste of Yisrael was for them. This is the meaning of what is written, "And could not delay" (Shemot 12:39). It should have said, 'And they did not want to delay,' but instead it is written, "And could not." AND THIS WAS OUT OF NECESSITY BECAUSE OF THE HOST OF ANGELS THAT WERE TARRYING FOR THEM! And it is actually understood from here that the children of Yisrael IN THE PHRASE were all the children of Yisrael of the firmament - NAMELY THE ANGELS. Thus it is written, "The children of Yisrael who came into Egypt with Jacob" (Shemot 1:1). It does not state, 'And these are the names of the children of Israel who came into Egypt with him,' but: "And these are the names of the children of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob," MEANING who came to Egypt in the beginning, REFERRING TO THE ANGELS, AS STATED PREVIOUSLY. And with whom did they come? With Jacob.

51. וְתָא חֲזֵי רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, בְּעִדָנָא דְּנָפְקוּ אִלֵּין רְתִיכִין קַדִּישִׁין, מַשִּׁירְיָיתָא קַדִּישָׁתָא, חָמוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָדְעוּ, דַּהֲווּ מִתְעַכְּבִין בְּגִינֵיהוֹן, וְכֻלְּהוּ בְּהִילוּ דְּעָבְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּגִינֵיהוֹן הֲוָה, וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ, הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר וְלָא רָצוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ אֲבָל לָא כְּתִּיב אֶלָּא וְלֹא יָכְלוּ. וְאִתְיְידַעוּ מַמָּשׁ, דְּכֻלְּהוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲווּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּרְקִיעָא, וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב, וְעַל דָּא לָא נֶאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אִתּוֹ, אֶלָּא וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב, הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה בְּקַדְמֵיתָא וְעִם מִי, אֵת יַעֲקֹב.

Angels Egypt Jacob Laban Tribes

52. Rabbi Yehuda states, We have a situation involving a minor to major inference. At the time when Jacob was saved from Laban, it is written, "And Jacob went on his way, and angels of Elohim met him" (Beresheet 32:2). Then, when he descended into Egypt, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I will go down with you into Egypt" (Beresheet 46:4). And if the Master descends, is it not the rule ALL THE MORE SO that His attendants will descend with Him? Thus, it is written, "Who came into Egypt with Jacob" (Shemot 1:1), INSTEAD OF 'WITH HIM.' Rabbi Ya'akov of the village of Chanan asks in the name of Rabbi Aba: Who are the children of Yisrael mentioned here? AND HE ANSWERS, Those who are actually called 'the children of Yisrael,' NAMELY THE TRIBES.

52. א"ר יְהוּדָה, ק"ו, וּמַה כַּד אִשְׁתְּזִיב יַעֲקֹב מִלָּבָן, כְּתִּיב, וְיַעֲקֹב הָלַךְ לְדַרְכּוֹ וַיִּפְגְעוּ בוֹ מַלְאֲכֵי אֱלֹהִים. כַּד נָחַת בְּגָלוּתָא, וְקוּדְשָׁא ב"ה אָמַר, אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרָיְמָה, לָאו דִּינָא, הוֹאִיל וּפַטְרוֹנָא נַחְתָא דְּיֶיחְתוּן שַׁמָּשׁוֹי עִמֵּיהּ, הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִּיב הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב. רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב דִּכְפַר חָנָן אָמַר מִשְּׂמֵיהּ דר' אַבָּא, מַאן אִינּוּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּהָכָא. אִינּוּן דְּאִתְקְרוּן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַמָּשׁ.

Earth Heaven Holy Name Thought Tribes

53. Rabbi Aba opened the discussion TO BRING PROOF TO HIS WORDS saying: "Come and behold the works of Hashem who has made desolations (Heb. shamot) in the earth" (Tehilim 46:9). Do not pronounce it shamot, but rather shemot (lit. 'names'). This follows a similar thought expressed by Rabbi Chiya that, as the Holy One, blessed be He, has done in heaven, so has He done on earth. Just as there are holy names in heaven, so are there holy names here on earth. THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE TRIBES OF WHICH IT IS WRITTEN, "THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL...."

53. ר' אַבָּא פָּתַח וְאָמַר, לְכוּ חֲזוּ מִפְעֲלוֹת יְיָ' אֲשֶׁר שָׂם שַׁמוֹת בָּאָרֶץ. אַל תִּקְרֵי שַׁמּוֹת. אֶלָּא שֵׁמוֹת. וְאַזְלָא הָא כְּהָא דְּאָמַר ר' חִיָּיא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּרְקִיעָא, עָבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּאַרְעָא בִּרְקִיעַ אִית שְׁמָהָן קַדִּישִׁין, בְּאַרְעָא אִית שְׁמָהָן קַדִּישִׁין.

Angels Egypt Hundred Jacob Key Lock

54. Rabbi Yehuda said that six hundred thousand supernal angels descended with Jacob on the day that Jacob descended into Egypt. Rabbi Yehuda commenced TO BRING PROOF OF HIS WORDS, "Behold the litter, that of Solomon. Sixty valiant men are round about it" (Shir Hashirim 3:7). There are locks that are forged to accommodate a key, AND THE KEYS turn inside THE LOCK. The locks are in the seventh SFIRAH OF MALCHUT, and they are carved in the sixth SFIRAH OF YESOD. This is the meaning of what is written, "Sixty valiant men are round about it."

54. אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּנָחַת יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם, נָחְתוּ עִמֵּיהּ שִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי. ר' יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב וְגוֹ' קוּזְמִיטִין דִּגְלִיפִין בְּקַלְדִיטָא, סָחֲרָן בְּדוּכְתֵּיהּ קוּזְמִיטִין בִּשְׁבִיעָאָה, גְּלִיפִין בִּשְׁתִיתָאָה, הה"ד, שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ.

Angels Egypt Hundred Jacob Key Peace Shechinah Zeir Anpin

55. HE CONTINUES TO EXPLAIN THE ENTIRE VERSE AND SAYS, "Behold the litter," refers to the Shechinah, WHICH IS CALLED 'BED.' "Of Solomon" (Shlomo), refers to the King, to whom the peace (Heb. shalom) belongs, ZEIR ANPIN, THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT BRINGS PEACE BETWEEN RIGHT AND LEFT. "Sixty valiant men are round about it," are the six hundred thousand supernal angels of the host of the Shechinah that descended with Jacob into Egypt. "Of the mighty men of Yisrael," refers to supernal Yisrael, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, FOR GVURAH ('MIGHT') IS DRAWN TO THEM FROM THERE. The verse, "And these are the names of the children of Israel...every man came with his household," REFERS TO them and their customs, BECAUSE "CAME WITH HIS HOUSEHOLD" MEANS HIS WAYS AND CUSTOMS. FOR EVERY ANGEL HAS A PARTICULAR TASK AFTER WHICH HE IS NAMED, AS WE KNOW.

55. הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ: דָּא אִיהִי שְׁכִינְתָּא. שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה: מַלְכָּא דִּשְׁלָמָא דִּילֵיהּ. שִׁשִּׁים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ: אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שִׁתִּין רִבּוֹא דְּמַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי, דְּאִינּוּן מֵחֵילָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּנַחְתָּת עִם יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם. מִגִּבּוֹרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּלְעֵילָּא, הה"ד וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹ,' אִישׁ וּבֵיתוֹ בָּאוּ: אִינּוּן וְנִימוּסֵיהוֹן.

Aaron Congregation Court Donkeys Egypt Elazar Jacob Jethro Moses

56. Rabbi Chiya was traveling from Usha to Lod. He was riding on a donkey, and Rabbi Yosi was with him. Rabbi Chiya dismounted, waving his hands toward Rabbi Yosi. He said to him, If the people knew the great respect given to Jacob when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "I will descend with you into Egypt" (Beresheet 46:4), they would lick the dust in the three parasangs around his grave. Thus, our teachers, the greatest men in the world, the sages of the Mishnah expound upon it. It is written, "Moses went out towards his father-in-law" (Shemot 18:7). AND THEY EXPLAIN, When Aaron saw Moses going out, he joined him. Elazar and the princes and the elders accompanied him, and the heads of the house of the fathers and men of mark in the congregation and all Yisrael accompanied them. So it came about that all of Yisrael went out to meet Jethro, because who would see Moses and Aaron and the princes going out and not accompany them? Thus, because of Moses, they all went out! Now if this occurred because of Moses, when the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I will descend with you into Egypt," certainly THE WHOLE HEAVENLY COURT DESCENDED WITH HIM. NOW IT IS COMPREHENSIBLE WHY IN THE BEGINNING THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, SAID, "I WILL DESCEND WITH YOU INTO EGYPT," WHICH INSINUATES THAT HE ALONE WOULD DESCEND. AND AFTERWARDS IT SAYS, "AND THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL," WHICH MEANS ALL THE HEAVENLY COURT. FOR BY MOSES ALSO, IT IS WRITTEN, "AND MOSES WENT OUT," YET ALL YISRAEL WENT OUT WITH HIM!

56. ר' חִיָּיא הֲוָה אָזִיל מֵאוּשָׁא לְלוּד, וַהֲוָה רָכִיב עַל חֲמָרָא, וַהֲוָה ר' יוֹסֵי עִמֵּיהּ, נָחִית ר' חִיָּיא, וְשַׁקְלֵיהּ בִּידוֹי לר' יוֹסֵי, א"ל, אִי בְּנֵי עָלְמָא יַדְעִין יְקָרָא סַגִּיאָה דְּיַעֲקֹב, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דא"ל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרָיְמָה, הָווּ מְלַחֲכֵי עַפְרָא, תְּלַת פַּרְסֵי קָרִיב לְקִבְרֵיהּ, דְּהָכִי מְפַרְשֵׁי מָרָנָא רַבְרְבֵי עָלְמָא, מָארֵיהוֹן דְּמַתְנִיתָא, כְּתִיב וַיֵּצֵא מֹשֶׁה לִקְרַאת חוֹתְנוֹ, אַהֲרֹן חָמָא לְמֹשֶׁה דְּנָפַק, וְנָפַק עִמֵּיהּ, וְאֶלְעָזָר וּנְשִׂיאֵי וְסָבֵי נַפְקוּ עִמֵּיהּ, רָאשֵׁי אֲבָהָן, וּמְעַרְעֵי כְּנִשְׁתָּא, וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל נַפְקוּ עִמְּהוֹן, אִשְׁתַּכְּחוּ דְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל כֻּלְּהוּ, נָפְקוּ לְקָבְלֵיהּ דְּיִתְרוֹ, מַאן חָמָא לְמֹשֶׁה דְּנָפִיק וְלָא יִפּוּק, לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְרַבְרְבֵי דְּנַפְקֵי, וְלָא יִפּוּק. אִשְׁתְּכַח, דִּבְגִין מֹשֶׁה נָפְקוּ כּוּלְהוֹן. וּמָה, אִי בְּגִין מֹשֶׁה כַּךְ, בְּגִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כַּד אָמַר אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְּךָ מִצְרַיְמָה, עאכ"ו.