"And the children struggled together within her" (A)

Synopsis

Here we explore the relationship of Jacob to Esau. We are shown Esau's identification with the serpent, and the necessity of Jacob to deal with this evil in order transform Holy Yisrael into the chosen part and portion of the Creator. Jacob's battles with Esau are a metaphor denoting the establishment of a spiritual system that expresses the paradigm of good versus evil in human existence. We see more clearly how the naming of Jacob signifies his special role, and his difference from Abraham and Isaac. The importance of the struggle of Jacob with Esau for the future is also explained, along with the methods used in this ongoing battle with evil.

Relevance

Jacob and Esau were born together in the womb of Rivkah. On a macrocosmic level, Jacob represents the forces of good, Esau, the forces of evil, and the womb of Rivkah symbolizes our physical world. On the micro-level, this dynamic represents the positive and negative aspects of our own nature. This portion of Zohar gives us power over our dark side, so that we can overcome our internal demons.

Astrology Esau Head Jacob Moon Nukva Samael Serpent Sun Throne Wicked Wickedness Zeir Anpin

25. Rabbi Yitzchak said, It is written, "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, 'If it be so, why am I thus?' And she went to inquire of Hashem" (Beresheet 25:22). Where did she go? To the academy of Shem and Ever. "...The children struggled together within her," because the wicked Esau was warring against Jacob there. The term 'struggle' (Heb. vayitrotzatzu) is similar to the expression 'to break' (Heb. ratzatz) one's head, for they struggled and were divided. Come and behold, ESAU was of the side of he who rides the serpent, SAMAEL, while JACOB was of the side who rides the perfect Holy Throne, of the side of the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, that is united with the moon, THE NUKVA.

25. אָמַר רָבִּי יִצְחָק, כְּתִיב וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ וַתֹּאמֶר אִם כֵּן לָמָּה זֶה אָנֹכִי וַתֵּלֶךְ לִדְרֹשׁ אֶת יי', לְאָן אֲתַר אָזְלַת. לְבֵי מִדְרְשָׁא דְּשֵׁם וְעֵבֶר. וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ, דְּתַמָּן הֲוָה הַהוּא רָשָׁע דְּעֵשָׂו אֲגַח קְרָבָא בֵּיהּ בְּיַעֲקֹב. וַיִּתְרֹצֲצוּ: אִתְבָּרוּ כְּמָה דְאַמְרִינָן, רָצַץ אֶת מוֹחוֹ. אִתְבָּרוּ דָּא עִם דָּא, וְאִתְפְּלָגוּ. תָּא חֲזֵי, דָּא סִטְרָא דְּרוֹכֵב נָחָשׁ, וְדָא סִטְרָא דְּרוֹכֵב עַל כָּרְסְיָא שְׁלֵימָתָא קַדִּישָׁא, בְּסִטְרָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא, לְשַׁמָּשָׁא בְּסִיהֲרָא.

Esau Hands Heel Holiness (Kedushah) Jacob Kedushah (Holiness) Serpent World to Come, The

26. Come and behold, since Esau followed on the serpent, Jacob dealt with him slyly, as the serpent was cunning and had crooked ways. As it is written, "the serpent was craftier" (Beresheet 3:1), which means that he was cunning AND SLY. What Jacob did with Esau was serpent-like. This was as it ought to have been -- making Esau go after that serpent, so that he would be separated from Jacob, and thus share nothing with him in this world or in the World to Come. Thus we learn, "He who comes to kill you, hasten to kill him first." It is written, "In the womb he took his brother by the (Hoshea 12:4), which means that he lowered him down by the heel, THAT IS, SEPARATED HIM FROM HOLINESS AND LOWERED HIM INTO THE SIDE OF DEFILEMENT CALLED 'HEEL,' WHICH WAS AT THE END OF HOLINESS. This is the meaning of, "and his hand took hold of Esau's heel" (Beresheet 25:26), for he put his hands on the heel to subjugate him TO HOLINESS.

26. וְתָא חֲזֵי, בְּגִין דְּאִתְמְשַׁךְ עֵשָׂו אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא נָחָשׁ, אָזֵיל עִמֵּיהּ יַעֲקֹב בַּעֲקִימָא, כְּנָחָשׁ, דְּאִיהוּ חַכִּים, וְאִיהוּ אָזֵיל בַּעֲקִימוּ, כְּדָּבָר אֲחֵר וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוֹם וגו', חַכִּים. וְעוֹבָדוֹי דְיַעֲקֹב לְגַבֵּיהּ, הֲווֹ לֵיהּ כְּנָחָשׁ, וְהָכֵי אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ, בְּגִין לְאַמְשָׁכָא לֵיהּ לְעֵשָׂו, בַּתְרֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא נָחָשׁ, וְיִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא יְהֵא לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא עִמֵּיהּ בְּעַלְמָא דֵין וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי. וְתָנִינָן, בָּא לְהָרְגְּךָ, אַקְדִּים אַנְתְּ וְקַטְלֵיהּ. כְּתִיב, בַּבֶּטֶן עָקַב אֶת אָחִיו דְּאַשְׁרֵי לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא, בְּהַהוּא עָקֵב, הה"ד וְיָדוֹ אוֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב עֵשָׂו, דְּשַׁוֵּי יְדוֹי עַל הַהוּא עָקֵב, לְאִכַּפְיָא לֵיהּ.

Astrology Esau Hands Heel Holiness (Kedushah) Jacob Kedushah (Holiness) Light Moon Nukva Other Side

27. דָּבָר אֲחֵר וְיָדוֹ אוֹחֶזֶת, דְּלָא יָכֵיל לְמֵיפַּק מִנֵּיהּ מִכֹּל וָכֹל, אֶלָּא וְיָדוֹ אוֹחֶזֶת בַּעֲקֵב עֵשָׂו, דָּא סִיהֲרָא, דְּאִתְכַּסְּיָא נְהוֹרָא, בְּגִין עֵקֶב דְּעֵשָׂו, וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ, לְמֵיהַךְ עִמֵּיהּ בְּחָכְמְתָא, בְּגִין לְדַחֲיָיא לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא, וְיִתְדַּבַּק בְּאַתְרֵיהּ.

Evil Jacob Serpent Wisdom

28. "And he called his name Jacob," MEANS THAT the Holy One, blessed be He, assuredly called him 'Jacob.' Come and behold, it is written, "and he called his name 'Jacob'" (Beresheet 27:36), and not, 'and his name was called Jacob.' But "Did he not rightly call him "Jacob,' for he has supplanted me (Heb. ya'akveni)?" (Ibid.) THIS REFERS TO THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WHO CALLED HIM 'JACOB.' Surely the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that the primordial serpent was wise in an evil way. When Jacob came, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, said that he must be wiser than the serpent. Therefore He called him 'Jacob,' WHO BECAME KNOWN FOR HIS WISDOM. HE KNEW HOW TO DECEIVE THE SERPENT AND TO SEPARATE HIM FROM ALL THINGS HOLY.

28. וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרֵי לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב וַדַּאי. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב הָכֵי קָרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב, נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ לָא כְתִיב, אֶלָּא קָרָא שְׁמוֹ, וַיַּעַקְבֵנִי, וַדַּאי חָמָא לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּהָא הַהוּא חִוְיָא קַדְמָאָה, אִיהוּ חַכִּים לְאַבְאָשָׁא, כֵּיוָן דַּאֲתָא יַעֲקֹב, אֲמַר הָא וַדַּאי חַכִּים לְקִבְלֵיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ קָרָא לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב.

Blood Flesh Grades Jacob Moses Nukva Zeir Anpin

29. We have already explained that wherever it is written, "He called," WITHOUT ALLUDING TO WHO CALLED, it is the lower grade, THE NUKVA, as it is written, "And ...called Moses" (Vayikra 1:1). IT IS THE NUKVA, WHO CALLED TO MOSES. And here it is written, "and he called his name 'Jacob'" (Beresheet 25:26). HERE, TOO, IT IS THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN WHO CALLED HIS NAME 'JACOB.' For no man even named Jacob, as it is written elsewhere, "And called it (lit. 'him') El the Elohim Yisrael" (Beresheet 33:20). This is the Holy One, blessed be He, who called Jacob 'El.' He said to him: 'I am El among the upper, and you are El among the lower.' THIS IS TO SHOW THAT HE WAS NOT NAMED BY FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT BY THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE.

29. הָא אוֹקִימְנָא בְּכָל אֲתַר, וַיִּקְרָא סְתָם, הַאי הוּא דַּרְגָּא בַּתְרָאָה, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, וַיִּקְרָא אֶל מֹשֶׁה וגו'. וְהָכָא וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ יַעֲקֹב, בְּכָל אֲתַר, שְׁמֵיהּ לָא אִקְרֵי עַל יְדָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ, בַּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא מַה כְּתִיב, וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב אֵל. אָמַר לוֹ אֲנָא אֱלָהָא בְּעִלָּאֵי, וְאַנְתְּ אֱלָהָא בְּתַתָּאֵי.

Creation Crocodiles Esau Grades Jacob Serpent

30. Come and behold, Jacob knew that Esau had to cleave to the tortuous serpent. As a result, in all that Esau did, he acted as slyly and crookedly, just like another tortuous serpent. This is as it ought to be. This agrees with the words of Rabbi Shimon, "And Elohim created the great crocodiles," which refer to Jacob and Esau, "and every living creature that moves" (Beresheet 1:21), refers to the levels between them. FOR JACOB AND ESAU ARE CALLED 'CROCODILES,' THAT IS, 'SERPENTS,' AS HAS BEEN EXPLAINED. ESAU WAS THE TORTUOUS SERPENT, AND JACOB DREW AGAINST HIMSELF A KIND OF TORTUOUS SERPENT. By necessity, Jacob needed to behave wisely TO STAND against the other serpent. This is as it must be.

30. וְתָא חֲזֵי, יַעֲקֹב הֲוָה יָדַע, דְּעֵשָׂו הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא, בְּהַהוּא חִוְיָא עֲקִימָא, וְעַל דָּא, בְּכָל עוֹבָדוֹי, אִתְמַשֵּׁךְ עֲלֵיהּ, כְּחִוְיָא עֲקִימָא אָחֳרָא, בְּחָכְמְתָא בַּעֲקִימוּ, וְהָכֵי אִצְטְרִיךְ. וְאַתְיָיא דָא, כִּי הָא דַּאֲמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, מַאי דִכְתִיב, וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הַתַּנִּינִים הַגְּדוֹלִים, דָּא יַעֲקֹב וְעֵשָׂו. וְאֶת כָּל נֶפֶשׁ הַחַיָּה הָרוֹמֶשֶׂת, אִלֵּין שְׁאָר דַּרְגִּין דְּבֵינַיְיהוּ, וַדַּאי אִתְעֲבֵיד יַעֲקֹב חַכִּים, לְקִבְלֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא חִוְיָא אָחֳרָא, וְהָכֵי אִצְטְרִיךְ.

Astrology Esau Evil Goats Heel Light Moon Nukva Serpent Wickedness Wisdom Yom Kippur Zeir Anpin

31. For that reason, one he goat is sacrificed monthly, to draw the serpent to his place so that he will be separated from the moon, THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHOSE LIGHT WAS COVERED BY ESAU'S HEEL. In addition, a he-goat should be sacrificed on Yom Kippur. This is done with wisdom, so as to control the serpent, so that he can not do evil. This is the meaning of the verse: "and the goat (Heb. sa'ir) shall bear upon it all their iniquities..." (Vayikra 16:22). This refers to Esau, who is hairy (Heb. sa'ir). All of this was done wisely and cleverly. Why? Because it is written, "and with the perverse you will show yourself subtle" (Tehilim 18:27). This is the evil serpent, the tortuous spirit, wise in wickedness, who accuses above and incites below.

31. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, בְּכָל יַרְחָא וְיַרְחָא, חַד שָׂעִיר, בְּגִין לְאַמְשָׁכָא לֵיהּ לְאַתְרֵיהּ וְיִתְפְּרַשׁ מִן סִיהֲרָא, וְכֵן בְּיוֹמֵי דְכִפּוּרֵי, לְאַקְרָבָא הַהוּא שָׂעִיר, וְדָא בְּחָכְמָה, לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלֵיהּ, וְלָא יָכֵיל לְאַבְאָשָׁא, דִּכְתִיב, וְנָשָׂא הַשָּׂעִיר עָלָיו אֶת כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתָם אֶל אֶרֶץ גְּזֵרָה, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ דְּדָא עֵשָׂו, דְּאִיהוּ שָׂעִיר, וְכֹלָּא בְּחָכְמָה וּבְרַמָּאוּת לְגַבֵּיהּ. מַאי טַעְמָא, מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב, וְעִם עִקֵּשׁ תִּתְפַּתָּל, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ חִוְיָא בִישָׁא, עָקִים, רוּחָא חַכִּים לְאַבְאָשָׁא, אַסְטֵי לְעֵילָא, וְאַסְטֵי לְתַתָּא.

Abraham Birthright Blessing Esau Evil Faith Isaac Jacob Nukva Serpent Shechinah Temple, The Wisdom

32. For this reason, Yisrael hasten to treat him with sly wisdom, so he will not be able to cause evil and rule. Therefore Jacob, who is imbued with the true Faith, treated Esau in all that he did so that there would be no place for that serpent to defile the Temple, or approach it and thereby rule the world. Thus, Abraham did not need to behave slyly, and neither did Isaac. For Esau, who was on the side of the serpent, had not yet come into the world. But Jacob, the landlord, THE HUSBAND OF THE SHECHINAH, had to stand against that serpent to prevent him from ruling and defiling the Temple of Jacob, THE NUKVA. Therefore, Jacob had to FIGHT HIM more CLEVERLY than the rest of the people in the world. Hence, BECAUSE JACOB FOUGHT WITH HIM SLYLY AND BOUGHT HIS BIRTHRIGHT AND BLESSINGS FROM HIM, Holy Yisrael was chosen to be the part and portion of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "For Hashem's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance" (Devarim 32:9).

32. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, יִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַדְּמִין, וְחַכְּמִין לֵיהּ בְּחָכְמָה, בַּעֲקִימוּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יָכִיל לְאַבְאָשָׁא, וּלְשַׁלְטָאָה. וְעַל דָּא, יַעֲקֹב דְּאִיהוּ בְּרָזָא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא, כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי לְגַבֵּי דְעֵשָׂו, בְּגִין דְּלָא יָהַב דּוּכְתָּא לֵיהּ, לְהַהוּא חִוְיָא, לְסָאֲבָא מַקְדְּשָׁא וְלָא יַקְרֵיב לְגַבֵּיהּ וְלָא יִשְׁלוֹט בְּעַלְמָא, וְעַל דָּא, לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם, לְאִתְנַהֲגָא בְּעוֹקְמָא, וְלָא לְיִצְחָק, בְּגִין דְּעֵשָׂו, דְּאִיהוּ סִטְרָא דְּהַהוּא חִוְיָא, עַד לָא אָתָא לְעַלְמָא. אֲבָל יַעֲקֹב, דְּאִיהוּ מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא, אִיבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, לְקָיְימָא לְקִבְלֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא חִוְיָא, דְּלָא יְהֵיב לֵיהּ שָׁלְטָנוּתָא כְּלָל, לְסָאֲבָא בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא דְיַעֲקֹב, וְעַל דָּא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְיַעֲקֹב, יַתִּיר מִכָּל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, יִשְׂרָאֵל קַדִּישִׁין, אִתְבְּרִירוּ חוּלַק עַדְבֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִיב, כִּי חֵלֶק יי' עַמּוֹ יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ.