"And Isaac was forty years old"

Synopsis

We learn that Rivkah, because she was "like the rose among thorns," countervails the harsh judgments of Abraham and Isaac. Next, Rabbi Yitzchak teaches the inner meaning of the marriage of Isaac to Rivkah, how she represents his opposite, and how their union provides the balance that sweetens the world.

Relevance

"Thorns" signify the severe judgments that appear in our world. The "rose" represents the tenderness and beauty of life. Isaac [thorns] and Rivkah [the rose] are the vessels through which these spiritual forces are established. The key to any fulfilling relationship lies in a delicate balance between both qualities. A husband and wife bring their own particular attributes to a marriage. By harnessing the forces of Isaac and Rivkah, we create greater balance in all our human interactions, and particularly in our marital ties.

Ezekiel Fire Isaac Jacob Marriage North Nukva Rainbow Rebecca Red South Water White Year

15. THE SCRIPTURE READS, "And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rivkah for a wife" (Beresheet 25:20). Why is Yitzchak's age given here? Why does it say he was forty years old when he married Rivkah? HE BEGAN HIS ANSWER BY SAYING THAT Isaac was included within north and south, which are fire and water, and was then forty years old when he took Rivkah. Further, the text, "As the appearance of the bow" (Yechezkel 1:28), means THAT RIVKAH HAD "THE APPEARANCE OF THE RAINBOW," WHICH IS green, white, and red, WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF NUKVA. She (the Nukva) was three years old when he seized it, when he took Rivkah, THAT IS, MARRIED HER. And he sired a son when he was sixty, WHICH WAS AFTER ATTAINING THE SIX SFIROT - CHESED TO YESOD - so that he would properly sire Jacob who, as the issue of a man of sixty years, held on to all THE SIX SFIROT and became a whole man.

15. פְּתַח רַבִּי יִצְחָק וַאֲמַר. וַיְהִי יִצְחָק בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בְּקַחְתּוֹ אֶת רִבְקָה וגו' בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, אַמַּאי אָתָא לְמִמְנֵי הָכָא, דַּהֲוָה בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, כַּד נְסֵיב לָהּ לְרִבְקָה, אֶלָּא וַדַּאי, הָא אִתְכְּלֵיל יִצְחָק בְּצָפוֹן וְדָרוֹם, בְּאֶשָׁא וּמַיָּא, וּכְדֵין, הֲוָה יִצְחָק בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בְּקַחְתּוֹ אֶת רִבְקָה. כְּמַרְאֶה הַקֶּשֶׁת, יָרוֹק חִוַּור סוּמָק. בַּת שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים אָחִיד בָּהּ כַּד אָחִיד בָּהּ בְּרִבְקָה, וְכַד אוֹלִיד, אוֹלִיד בֶּן שִׁשִׁים, לְאוֹלָדָא כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, בְּגִין דְּיִפוֹק יַעֲקֹב שְׁלָם, מִבֶּן שִׁשִׁים שָׁנָה כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, וְכֻלְּהוּ אָחִיד לְהוֹ יַעֲקֹב לְבָתַר, וְאִתְעֲבֵיד גְּבַר שְׁלִים.

Bethuel Daughter Deeds Evil Laban Paddan-Aram Rebecca Wicked Wickedness

16. Why are we told, "The daughter of Betu'el the Arammian of Paddan-aram, the sister to Laban the Arammian?" Why should we care to know all this? It had already been written, "And Betu'el sired Rivkah" (Beresheet 22:23), and now she is described as "of Paddan-aram, the sister to Laban the Arammian." HE ANSWERS THAT IT IS to teach us that ALTHOUGH she was born among the misled, she did not follow their ways. Therefore it is written that she was the daughter of Betu'el, of Paddan-aram, and the sister of Laban, who were all wicked and evil doers; but she did good deeds and did not behave as they did.

16. בַּת בְּתוּאֵל הָאֲרַמִּי מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם אֲחוֹת לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי, מַאי אִכְפַּת לָן כּוּלֵי הַאי, דְּהָא כְּבָר אִתְּמָר וּבְתוּאֵל יָלַד אֶת רִבְקָה וגו', וְהַשְׁתָּא אֲמַר בַּת בְּתוּאֵל הָאֲרַמִּי, וּלְבָתַר מִפַּדַן אֲרָם, וּלְבָתַר אֲחוֹת לָבָן הָאֲרַמִּי, אֶלָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ, דַּהֲוַת בֵּין רְשָׁעִים וְאִיהִי לָא עָבְדַת כְּעוֹבָדַיְיהוּ, דַּהֲוַת בַּת בְּתוּאֵל וּמִפַּדַן אֲרָם, וַאֲחוֹת לָבָן, וְכֻלְּהוּ חַיָּיבִין לְאַבְאָשָׁא, וְהִיא סָלְקָא עוֹבָדִין דְּכָשְׁרָן, וְלָא עֲבָדַת כְּעוֹבָדַיְיהוּ.

Rebecca Thirteen Wisdom Year

17. Now we should study this further. If Rivkah was twenty years old, or at least thirteen, it would be considered praiseworthy that she did not do as they did. But since she was only three years old, how can she be praised for her actions? Rabbi Yehuda replied that although she was only three years old, she can be judged by how she behaved toward the servant. THIS MUST MEAN THAT SHE HAD THE WISDOM OF A TWENTY YEAR OLD, AND THEREFORE SHE MAY BE PRAISED FOR NOT LEARNING FROM WHAT THEY DID.

17. הַשְׁתָּא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא, אִי רִבְקָה הֲוַת בַּת עֶשְׂרִין שְׁנִין, אוֹ יַתִּיר, אוֹ בַּת שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה, כְּדֵין הוּא שִׁבְחָא דִילָהּ, דְּלָא עָבְדַת כְּעוֹבָדַיְיהוּ, אֲבָל עַד כְּעָן בַּת שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים הֲוַת, מַאי שִׁבְחָא דִילָהּ. אָמַר רָבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּת שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים הֲוַת, וַעֲבִידַת לְעַבְדָא כָּל הַהוּא עוֹבָדָא.

Abraham Bethuel Congregation Isaac Judgment Laban Lily Love Nukva Rebecca Thread Zeir Anpin

18. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Though she acted WISELY TOWARD THE SERVANT, I do not yet know if her behavior was right or not. Come and behold, it is written, "Like the roseֹamong thorns, so is my love among the daughters" (Shir Hashirim 2:2). The roseֹis the congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY, THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, which is among the legions as a roseֹamong the thorns. The hidden meaning is that Isaac came from the side of Abraham, supernal Chesed, who is kind to all creatures. And although he represented Severe Judgment, HE NEVERTHELESS DRAWS CHESED FROM ABRAHAM. Rivkah also came from the side of Harsh Judgment OF BETU'EL AND LABAN. Although she was herself of Weak Judgment, IN THE SECRET OF THE REDNESS OF THE ROSE, and a thread of Chesed was attached to her, IN THE SECRET OF THE WHITENESS OF THE ROSE, nevertheless she came from Severe Judgment. Thus, because Isaac was severe in his judgment and Rivkah was softer in her Judgment, she was as a roseֹamong the thorns. AND IF THE NUKVA were not of Weak Judgment, the world would not have been able to bear the Harsh Judgment of Isaac. In this manner, the Holy One, blessed be He, joins couples in the world - the severe with the weak. THUS ISAAC WAS OF SEVERE JUDGMENT AND RIVKAH OF SOFT JUDGMENT, to balance everything. THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, and the world would be sweetened.

18. אֲמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, אַף עַל גָּב דְּכוּלַי הַאי עָבְדַת, לָא יְדַעְנָא עוֹבָדָהָא אִי אִינוּן כְּשֵׁרָאן, אוֹ לָאו. אֶלָּא, תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים כֵּן רַעֲיָתִי בֵּין הַבָּנוֹת. כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה: דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִיהִי בֵּין אוּכְלוּסָהָא, כְּוַרְדָּא בֵּין כּוּבִין וְרָזָא דְמִלָּה, יִצְחָק אָתֵי מִסִּטְרָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּאִיהוּ חֶסֶד עִלָּאָה, וַעֲבֵיד חֶסֶד עִם כָּל בִּרְיָין, וְאַף עַל גָּב דְּאִיהוּ דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא. וְרִבְקָה אָתַת מִסִּטְרָא דְדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, וְאִסְתַּלְּקַת מִבֵּינַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְחַבְּרַת בְּיִצְחָק, דְּהָא רִבְקָה מִסִּטְרָא דְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא אַתְיָא, וְאַף עַל גָּב דְּאִיהִי מִסִּטְרָא דְדִינָא רַפְיָא הֲוַת, וְחוּטָא דְחֶסֶד תָּלֵי בָּהּ, וְיִצְחָק דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא, וְאִיהִי רַפְיָא, כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים הֲווֹ. וְאִי לָאו דְּאִיהִי רַפְיָא, לָא יָכֵיל עַלְמָא לְמִסְבַּל דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא דְיִצְחָק. כְּגַוְונָא דָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְזַוֵּוג זִוּוּגִין בְּעַלְמָא, חַד תַּקִּיף וְחַד רַפְיָא, בְּגִין לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא כֹּלָּא, וְיִתְבַּסֵּם עָלְמָא.