"The word of Hashem was"

Synopsis

Upon meeting Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chiya immersed in discussion, Rabbi Aba offers an additional verse to reinforce their conclusion that the angels accompanied the children of Israel into Egypt. He alludes to the vision Ezekiel revealed to the children of Israel to prove that God had not and would not abandon them in captivity in Babylon. Just as God was with them in Babylon, Rabbi Aba explains, so He and His heavenly company went with them into Egypt.

Relevance

Jacob's soul, like Adam's, embodied all the souls of humanity. Each person who has ever walked this earth was included in Jacob, spiritually speaking. Thus, the reader himself is part of Jacob. This is your story. And the story continues to unfold into this present moment.

The mention of Egypt alludes to our own ego and to the illusionary pleasures of the physical world. We are enslaved to these aspects of our existence. Yet, the Zohar emphasizes that all the supernal angelic forces and the Shechinah (the Divine Presence) accompanied Jacob into Egypt.

These sacred forces are with us now. They shine their Light upon us and the entire world. We are liberated from Egypt - meaning, our soul attains complete dominion over our ego. Now we are free to recognize and enjoy the true and lasting pleasures of life.

This passage also commences the complete revelation of God's truth and wisdom in the world. The Light and the mysteries of the Zohar shine in the hearts of all humanity.

Chariot Egypt Hosts Jacob Shechinah

57. While they were still traveling, Rabbi Aba met them. Rabbi Yosi said, Behold the Shechinah is here, because one of the masters of the Mishnah is here with us. Rabbi Aba asked, What are you engaged in? Rabbi Yosi said, "I will descend with you into Egypt" (Beresheet 46:4). When Jacob descended into Egypt, as written, "Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came into Egypt..." (Shemot 1:1), you learn that they all descended with Jacob into Egypt. THE IMPLICATION IS THAT ALL THE CHARIOTS AND HOSTS DESCENDED WITH JACOB INTO EGYPT AND NOT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, ALONE AS IS IMPLIED IN THE VERSE, "I WILL DESCEND WITH YOU INTO EGYPT."

57. עַד דַּהֲווּ אַזְלֵי, פָּגַע בְּהוּ ר' אַבָּא. א"ר יוֹסֵי, הָא שְׁכִינְתָּא הָכָא, דְּחָד מִמָארֵיהוֹן דְּמַתְנִיתִין עִמָּנָא. אָמַר ר' אַבָּא, בְּמָאי עַסְקִיתּוּ. א"ר יוֹסֵי, בְּהַאי קְרָא, דִּכְתִּיב אָנֹכִי אֵרֵד עִמְךָ מִצְרַיְמָה וְגוֹ.' כַּד נָחַת יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם, דִּכְתִּיב, וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה, אַתְּ אוֹלִיף, דְּכֻלְּהוּ נָחְתוּ עִם יַעֲקֹב לְמִצְרַיִם.

Ezekiel Moses Priests Prophecy Rivers Shechinah

58. Rabbi Aba said to him, Yet this one was alone. He opened the discussion saying: "The word of Hashem came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of Chaldeans by the river K'var" (Yechezkel 1:3). There are three difficulties here. One difficulty is that we learned that the Shechinah does not dwell outside the land of Yisrael WHILE THE PROPHECY OF EZEKIEL IS IN THE LAND OF CHALDEANS. Another difficulty is that he was not trusted like Moses, as is written, "For he is the trusted one in all My house" (Bemidbar 12:7). But he, EZEKIEL, revealed and publicized all the treasures of the King, MORE THAN MOSES. And another difficulty is that apparently he was not of a wholesome mind, FOR IF HE WAS OF A WHOLESOME MIND HE WOULD NOT HAVE REVEALED SO MUCH.

58. א"ל ר' אַבָּא, וְדָא לְחוּד הֲוַת. פָּתַח וְאָמַר הָיֹה הָיָה דְּבַר יְיָ' אֶל יְחֶזְקֵאל בֶּן בּוּזִי הַכֹּהֵן בְּאֶרֶץ כַּשְׂדִּים עַל נְהַר כְּבָר. תְּלַת פְּלוּגְתָן הָכָא. חֲדָא, דְּתָנֵינָן, אֵין שְׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ. וַחֲדָא, דְּלָא הֲוָה מְהֵימָן כְּמֹּשֶׁה, דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ, בְּכָל בֵּיתִי נֶאֱמָן הוּא, וְהוּא, גַּלֵּי וּפַרְסֵם כָּל גִּנְזַיָּיא דְּמַלְכָּא. וַחֲדָא, דְּאִתְחָזֵי כְּמַאן דְּלָא שְׁלִים בְּדַעְתֵּיהּ.

Babel Babylon Chariot Egypt Exile Ezekiel Heaven Hosts Jacob Shechinah Zohar

59. HE ANSWERS, Rather this is the explanation of our Mishnah. Heaven forbid that he revealed more than necessary, because Ezekiel was perfect in his mind. Whatever he revealed was with the permission of the Holy One, blessed be He, and it was necessary that he reveal whatever he revealed. For so we have learned, "One who is accustomed to bear pain..." (AS MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE ZOHAR, VERSES 7-14) and all was necessary. And never did the Holy One, blessed be He, leave Yisrael in exile before He came and caused His Shechinah to dwell with them. And of course, it was with Jacob, who was descending into exile, that the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah and the supernal holy beings and the Chariots all descended with Jacob. As it is written, "Who came into Egypt with Jacob" (Shemot 1:1). AND WITH THIS IS THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF RABBI YOSI ABOVE - THAT EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS, "I WILL DESCEND WITH YOU INTO EGYPT," IT DOES NOT IMPLY HE ALONE, BUT RATHER WITH HIS SHECHINAH AND HIS HOSTS AND HIS CHARIOTS. FOR THIS IS THE WAY OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, IN ALL EXILES, AS EZEKIEL REVEALED BY THE EXILE OF BABYLON.

59. אֶלָּא הָכִי אַסִיקְנָא בְּמַתְנִיתָא דִּילָן, ח"ו דְּהָא יְחֶזְקֵאל נְבִיאָה שְׁלֵימָא הֲוָה, וּבִרְשׁוּתָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גַּלֵּי כָּל מַה דְּגַלֵּי. וְכֻלְּהוּ אִצְטְרִיךְ דִּיגַלֵּי וִיפַרְסֵם, עַל חַד תְּרֵין מִמַּה דְּגַלֵּי, דְּהָכִי תְּנַן, מַאן דְּרָגִיל לְמִסְבַּל צַעֲרָא וכו.' וְכֹלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ, וּמֵעָלְמִין לָא שָׁבִיק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא, עַד דַּהֲוָה אָתֵי לְמֵידַר דִּיוֹרֵיהּ עִמְּהוֹן, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּיַעֲקֹב, דַּהֲוָה נָחִית בְּגָלוּתָא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ, וְקַדִּישִׁין עִלָּאִין, וּרְתִיכִין, דְּנָחְתוּ כֻּלְּהוּ עִם יַעֲקֹב, הה"ד הַבָּאִים מִצְרָיְמָה אֵת יַעֲקֹב.