Shlach Lecha: Chapter 4

Zelophehad was gathering sticks

Synopsis

Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Shimon talk about the sin of the man who gathered sticks on the Shabbat and who died in his own sin. Since he received his punishment of death, his sin was forgiven; this made it difficult for Moses to know what sentence to give his daughters. We learn that a person must never exchange the Tree of Life for the world, and that the Ark, Malchut, and the Torah, Zeir Anpin, exist as one. The Ark is the abode for the Torah. Moses had wanted to find out if the Tree of Life existed in the promised land, but his spies brought him only fruits from regular trees. Rabbi Yitzchak says that faithful messengers refresh the soul of their master.

Shabbat Sin Tetragrammaton Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH) Zeir Anpin

11. Rabbi Chiya said that it is written: "They found a man gathering sticks (also: 'trees') upon the Shabbat day" (Bemidbar 15:32). What are the trees involved here and who is THAT MAN? HE RESPONDS: That must be Zelophehad, who was particular IN KNOWING exactly about these trees, WHICH ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, which of them was greater than the other. He did not care for the glory of his Master and exchanged the Shabbat to the other Shabbat. This is what is written: "But he died in his own sin (Heb. chet'o - Chet Tet Aleph Vav)" (Bemidbar 27:3), MEANING in the sin (Chet Tet Aleph) of Vav, SINCE HE MADE A BLEMISH IN ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS REFERRED TO BY THE VAV OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, he died. Therefore, his sentence was left unsaid and not explained as other sentences. HE IS DESCRIBED SIMPLY AS A GATHERER OF STICKS, because this matter had to be in secrecy and NEEDED TO BE veiled and not made known. Therefore, it was not mentioned openly and the Holy One, blessed be He, glorified His own glory.

11. אָמַר רִבִּי חִיָיא, כְּתִיב וַיִּמְצְאוּ אִישׁ מְקוֹשֵׁשׁ עֵצִים בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת. מַאן עֵצִים הָכָא. וּמַאן הוּא דָּא. אֶלָּא דָּא צְלָפְחָד, וַהֲוָה דָּיִיק עַל אִלֵּין אִילָנִין, הֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ רַב עַל אַחֲרָא, וְלָא חָשַׁשׁ לִיקָרָא דְּמָארֵיהּ, וְאַחְלַף שַׁבָּת לְשַׁבָּת. הה"ד, כִּי בְחֶטְאוֹ מֵת, בְּחֵטְא ו' מֵת. בְּגִין כַּךְ, הֲוָה דִּינֵיהּ סָתִים, וְלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ דִּינֵיהּ. כְּדִינִין אַחֲרָנִין. בְּגִין דְּמִלָּה דָּא בָּעֵי בַּחֲשַׁאי וְסָתִים וְלָא גַּלְיָיא. וע"ד לָא אִתְּמַר בְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲבַד יְקָר לִיקָרֵיהּ.

Grades Moses Seventy Shabbat Sin Zeir Anpin

12. Rabbi Yosi said: He was gathering other trees, INDICATING THE SEVENTY EXTERNAL CHIEFS, together with the Shabbat, AND WAS COMPARING AND MATCHING THE LEVEL OF THE SEVENTY CHIEFS TO THE LEVEL OF THE SHABBAT DAY. He received his timely punishment and his iniquity was forgiven. Therefore, Moses had difficulty in judging the sentence of his daughters, since he was not sure if HIS SIN was forgiven, and if his daughters would take their lot and inheritance IN THE LAND OF YISRAEL or not. As soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, mentioned his name, as it is written: "The daughters of Zelophehad speak right" (Ibid.), it became known that his sin was forgiven.

12. רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, שְׁאַר עֵצִים בַּהֲדֵי שַׁבָּת הֲוָה מְקוֹשֵׁשׁ, וְקַבִּיל עוֹנְשָׁא לְפוּם שַׁעֲתָא, וְאִתְכְּפַר חוֹבֵיהּ. וע"ד אִתְקָשֵּׁי מֹשֶׁה בְּדִינָא דִּבְנָתָא, דְּלָא יָדַע אִי אִתְכַּפָּר לְמֶהֱוֵי לִבְנָתֵיהּ חוּלָק וְאַחֲסָנָא אִי לָאו. כֵּיוָן דְּדָכַר שְׁמֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִּיב כֵּן בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד דּוֹבְרוֹת, אִתְיְדַע דְּהָא אִתְכַּפָּר חוֹבֵיהּ.

Death Death and the Afterlife Evil Female Honey Solomon Tree Tree of Life World to Come, The Zeir Anpin

13. Come and see that there are two trees: One above, WHICH IS THE TREE OF LIFE, ZEIR ANPIN, and one below, WHICH IS THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, THE NUKVA. In the one there is life and in the other death. Whoever exchanges them - MEANING THAT HE CONSIDERS THE FEMALE WHEN SHE IS SEPARATE MORE THAN ZEIR ANPIN, WHO IS THE TREE OF LIFE - causes himself death in this world, and has no part in the World to Come. About this, Solomon said, "Have you found honey? eat as much as is sufficient for you" (Mishlei 25:16).

13. ת"ח, ב' אִילָנִין אִינּוּן, חַד לְעֵילָּא, וְחַד לְתַתָּא, בְּדָא חַיִּין, וּבְדָא מוֹתָא. מַאן דְּאַחְלָף לוֹן, גָּרִים לֵיהּ מוֹתָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְלֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. וע"ד אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, דְּבָשׁ מָצָאתָ אֱכוֹל דַּיֶּיךָ וְגוֹ.'

Aaron Ark Ark of the Covenant Levites Moses Torah Unity Zeir Anpin

14. The Ark and Torah, THAT ARE MALCHUT WHICH IS CALLED ARK AND ZEIR ANPIN THAT IS CALLED TORAH, are as one, MEANING IN UNITY. The Torah THAT IS IN THE ARK is primary and the Ark is the abode FOR THE TORAH. Therefore, the Ark is spelled without Vav wherever it is mentioned; that is, the Ark of the Covenant, the Ark of Testimony, SINCE THE TORAH INSIDE THE ARK IS THE SECRET OF VAV. Aaron is always the right arm, except once where it is written: "All that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered" (Bemidbar 3:39), which has dots above it TO INDICATE THAT HERE HE WAS NOT THE RIGHT ARM, WHICH IS CHESED, BUT RATHER AN ASPECT OF MALCHUT CALLED ARK, AS MENTIONED.

14. אָרוֹן וְתוֹרָה בְּחַד קַיְימֵי. תּוֹרָה עִקָּרָא, אֲרוֹן בֵּיתָא. וע"ד, אָרֹן חָסֵר בְּלָא וָא"ו בְּכָל אֲתָר, אֲרֹן הַבְּרִית, אֲרֹן הָעֵדוּת. בְּכָל אֲתָר אַהֲרֹן דְּרוֹעָא יְמִינָא, בַּר בְּחַד, דִּכְתִּיב כָּל פְּקּוּדֵי הַלְוִיִּם אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, נָקוּד לְעֵילָּא.

Female Fruit Moses Tree Tree of Life Zeir Anpin

15. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Moses was attached to the Tree of Life and therefore he wanted to find out if he existed in the land or not. Therefore, he said, "Whether there is a tree in it, or not. And be of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land" (Bemidbar 13:20), since the Tree of Life is pleasant to all. But they brought only grapes, pomegranates and figs, which are attached to another tree, MEANING THE NUKVA, AND NOT IN ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS THE TREE OF LIFE.

15. א"ר יִצְחָק, מֹשֶׁה אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי נָקַט, וע"ד בָּעָא לְמִנְדַּע, אִי הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ בְּאַרְעָא, אִי לָאו, ובג"כ אָמַר, הֲיֵשׁ בָּהּ עֵץ אִם אַיִן וְהִתְחַזַּקְתֶּם וּלְקַחְתֶּם מִפְּרִי הָאָרֶץ. דְּהָא אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי אִתְחֲמָד לְכֹלָּא. וְאִינּוּן לָא אַיְיתִיאוּ אֶלָּא עֲנָבִים וְרִמּוֹנִים וּתְאֵנִים, בְּאִילָנָא אַחֲרָא תַּלְיָין וַאֲחִידָן.

Body Caleb Jericho Joshua Pinchas Shechinah Soul, The

16. Come and see that in "send you men," "you" MEANS for your sake. Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion saying, "Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him: for he refreshes the soul of his master" (Mishlei 25:13). "Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest:'' BECAUSE THEN THE CHILL is good for the body and soul. "A faithful messenger to those who send him:'' these are Caleb and Pinchas, who were faithful messengers of Joshua AT THE TIME WHEN HE SENT THEM TO SPY ON JERICHO. "For he refreshes the soul of his master:'' they returned the Shechinah to rest on Yisrael, and She did not part from them.

16. ת"ח, שְׁלַח לְךָ אֲנָשִׁים: בְּגִינָךְ. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַח, כְּצִנַּת שֶׁלֶג בְּיוֹם קָצִיר צִיר נֶאֱמָן לְשׁוֹלְחָיו וְנֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנָיו יָשִׁיב. כְּצִנַּת שֶׁלֶג בְּיוֹם קָצִיר, דְּאַהֲנֵי לְגוּפָא וּלְנַפְשָׁא. צִיר נֶאֱמָן לְשׁוֹלְחָיו, אֵלּוּ כָּלֵב וּפִנְחָס דַּהֲווֹ שְׁלִיחֵי מְהֵימְנֵי לְגַבֵּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. וְנֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנָיו יָשִׁיב, דְּאָהַדְרוּ שְׁכִינְתָּא לְדַיְּירָא בְּהוּ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָא אִסְתָּלְקָא מִנַּיְיהוּ.

Joshua Moses Shechinah Soul, The Spies Temple, The

17. These SPIES, whom Moses sent, caused grief for latter generations, SINCE ON THAT DAY, THE FIRST AND SECOND TEMPLES WERE DESTROYED. This caused thousands and tens of thousands of Yisrael to die and furthermore caused the Shechinah to depart from the land and from the midst of Yisrael. IT SAYS ABOUT those whom Joshua dispatched: "For he refreshes the soul of his master."

17. וְאִלֵּין דְּשָׁדַר מֹשֶׁה, גְּרִימוּ בְּכִיָיה לְדָרִין בַּתְרָאִין, וְגָרִימוּ לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא מִיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּמָּה אֲלַף וְרִבְּבָן. וְגָרִימוּ לְסַלְּקָא שְׁכִינְתָּא מֵאַרְעָא מִבֵּינַיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. אִינּוּן דְּשָׁדַר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, וְנֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנָיו יָשִׁיב.

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