Vayechi: Chapter 52

The sound of a wheel rolling

Synopsis

The powers appointed over punishment and reward turn the wheel continually. The sound of the chirping of the two birds, Chochmah and Binah, joins with the sound of the wheel, illuminating the lights described in the poem for Shabbat day. Blessings are drawn by a whisper from the Right Column to the Central Column through the sound of the Shofar or ram's horn. When the turning wheel, the Central Column, is filled with Chesed, Chochmah is clothed with Chassadim and ceases to whisper, shining fully. When someone has merit, the wheel brings the illuminations of the three columns under the power of the right, and that person enjoys the illumination of supernal blessings. However, the wheel draws judgment upon he whom does not deserve supernal blessings.(formatting)

Relevance

Conversing in the lyrical language of metaphor, the Zohar describes the intimate connection between human behavior, the cosmos, the concepts of punishment and reward, and the spiritual tools of the Torah that can help one draw blessing into their life and remove judgments. By virtue of this discourse, the energy of blessing and the cleansing power of the Light fill our lives so that judgment and mercy shine upon us in perfect measure.

Chariot Grades Shofar Wheel

507. Tosefta (addendum). The sound of a wheel rolling from below upward, closed Chariots roll about, a pleasant voice rises and falls, roams about the world. The sound of a Shofar is heard through the depth of the grades and the wheel turns round.

507. (תּוֹסֶפְתָּא) קָל גַּלְגַּלָּא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא מִתַּתָּא לְעֵילָא, רְתִיכָהָא טוֹרְקָהָא אָזְלִין וּמִתְגַּלְגְּלֵי. קָל נְעִימוּתָא סָלְקָא, וְנָחֲתָא, אָזְלָא וְשַׁטְיָא בְּעַלְמָא. קָל שׁוֹפָרָא נָגֵיד בְּעוֹמְקֵי דְּדַרְגֵּי אַסְחַר גַּלְגַּלָּא סַחְרָנָהָא.

Colors Punishment Red Wheel White

508. Two shovels ? are placed, THE POWERS APPOINTED OVER PUNISHMENT AND REWARD, DRAWN from the right and left, included within each other by two colors, the one white, and the other red. Both turn the wheel up. When it turns to the right, the white ascends and when it turns to the left, the red descends. The wheel keeps turning and never rests.

508. יָתְבִין תְּרֵין מַגְרוֹפִין, מִימִינָא וּמִשְׂמָאלָא, בִּתְרֵין גּוֹוָנִין מִשְׁתַּאֲבִין דָּא בְּדָא, דָּא חִוַּור וְדָא סוּמָק, וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ סָחֲרִין גַּלְגַּלָּא לְעֵילָא, אַסְחַר לִימִינָא חִוָּורָא סַלְקָא, וְאַסְחַר לִשְׂמָאלָא סוּמָקָא נָחֲתָא. וְגַלְגַּלָּא אַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכֵיךְ.

Air Birds Blessing Chassadim Lights Love North Nukva Shabbat Shofar South Wheel Zeir Anpin

509. Two birds, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH OF THE NUKVA, go up and chirp, the one, CHOCHMAH, to the south and the other, BINAH, to the north, and soar in the air. TO WIT, THEY SHINE ONLY UPON THE SIX EXTREMITIES OF CHOCHMAH AND BINAH CALLED AIR. The chirping OF THE BIRDS, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA, and the pleasant sound of the wheel, THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, join together and then, "A Psalm, a poem for the Shabbat day" (Tehilim 92:1). TO WIT, WHEN THEY JOIN THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WHICH ARE DESCRIBED IN THE POEM FOR THE SHABBAT DAY. All the blessings, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH, are drawn by a whisper, clothed by the pleasantness OF THE WHEEL, WHICH IS THE RIGHT COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS CHASSADIM through the love of the sound of the Shofar, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN.

509. תְּרֵין צִפֳּרִין סָלְקִין, דְּקָא מְצַפְצְפָן, חַד לִסְטַר דָּרוֹם, וְחַד לִסְטַר צָפוֹן. פָּרְחִין בַּאֲוִירָא צִפְצוּפָא, וְקָל נְעִימוּ דְּגַלְגַּלָּא מִתְחַבְּרָן כַּחֲדָא, כְּדֵין מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר לְיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת. וְכָל בִּרְכָאן נָגְדִין בִּלְחִישׁוּ בְּדָא נְעִימוּ, מִגּוֹ רְחִימוּ דְּקוֹל שׁוֹפָרָא.

Blessing Chassadim Nukva Well Wheel

510. In order to receive the blessings, SO THAT CHOCHMAH WILL BE CLOTHED BY CHASSADIM, the blessings go down from above, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH, to be treasured deep inside the well, THE NUKVA; MEANING, IT CANNOT SHINE WITHOUT CHASSADIM. The spring from the well does not cease to whisper, WHICH MEANS IT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE, until the turning wheel is filled, WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN, THE PRINCIPAL THAT TURNS THE WHEELS.

510. לְקַבְּלָא אִינוּן בִּרְכָאן, נָחֲתִין מִלְּעֵילָא לְתַתָּא, וְאִתְגְּנִיזוּ כַּחֲדָא בְּגוֹ עוֹמְקָא דְבֵירָא, נְבִיעוּ דְבֵירָא דְלָא פָּסְקָא בִּלְחִישׁוּ, עַד דְּאִתְמַלְיָא הַהוּא גַּלְגַּלָּא סַחֲרָא.

Blessing Eyes Light Lights Merit Wheel

511. Of the two turning shovels, the one to the right, WHICH ROLLS THE THREE COLUMNS UNDER THE POWER OF THE RIGHT, cries loudly, saying, the illumination of the lights which ascend and descend, SINCE BEING RIGHT, ITS ILLUMINATION GOES FROM ABOVE DOWNWARD, the two thousand worlds, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH CALLED THOUSANDS AND DRAWN FROM THE TWO COLUMNS RIGHT AND LEFT, shine! The middle world inside them, DA'AT, DRAWN FROM THE CENTRAL COLUMN, shine by the light of your Master! All those who have eyes; MEANING, THOSE WORTHY OF ATTAINING CHOCHMAH CALLED EYES, look and open your eyes, to attain this light, this delight. These are the blessings which are drawn from above. When someone has merit, the wheel goes up and turns to the right. TO WIT, IT BRINGS THE ILLUMINATIONS OF THE THREE COLUMNS UNDER THE POWER OF THE RIGHT, and brings and draws them upon he who achieved it, and he takes pleasure in the supernal luminous blessings. Happy are those who attained them.

511. אִינוּן תְּרֵין מַגְרוֹפִין סָחֲרָן, חַד דִּימִינָא, קָרֵא בְחָיִל וַאֲמַר, זְהִירוּ דְּזָהֲרִין דְּסָלְקָא וְנָחֲתָא, תְּרֵי אַלְפֵי עָלְמִי"ן אִזְדָּהֲרוּ. עַלְמָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא בְּגַוַּויְיהוּ, אִזְדָּהַר בְּזוֹהֲרָא דְּמָארָךְ. כָּל אִינוּן מָארֵי דְּעַיְינִין, אִסְתַּכָּלוּ וּפִקְחוּ עֵינֵיכוֹן, וְתִזְכּוּן לְהַאי נְהִירוּ, לְהַאי עִדּוּנָא, אִלֵּין אִינוּן בִּרְכָאן דְּנָגְדֵי מִלְּעֵילָא, מַאן דְּזָכֵי, גַּלְגַּלָּא סָלְקָא אַסְחַר לִימִינָא, וְאַנְגֵיד וְאַמְשֵׁיךְ לְהַהוּא דְּזָכֵי, וְאִתְעַדַּן מֵאִלֵּין בִּרְכָאן עִלָּאִין דְּזָהֲרָן, זַכָּאִין אִינוּן דְּזָכָאן בְּהוֹ.

Blessing Drought Flame Head Judgment Light Merit Soul, The Wheel Wicked Wickedness

512. For he who does not achieve it, the wheel turns and the shovel on the left side turns it. TO WIT, IT BRINGS ABOUT THE ILLUMINATION OF THE COLUMNS UNDER THE POWER OF THE LEFT, and brings LIGHT down BY DRAWING THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT FROM ABOVE DOWNWARD, thus drawing Judgment upon he who did not attain it. A voice resounds, saying, Woe to the wicked who have no merit. From the LEFT side, a flame comes out to burn and abides on the head of the wicked. Happy are those who walk the true path in this world and attain the supernal light, the blessings of brightness, as it says, "And satisfy your soul in drought (also: 'brightness')" (Yeshayah 58:11). End of Tosefta.

512. וְכַד לָא זָכֵי, גַּלְגַּלָּא אַסְחַר, וְהַהוּא מַגְרוֹפָא דְּלִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, אַסְחַר וְנָחַת לְתַתָּא, וְאַמְשֵׁיךְ דִּינָא עַל הַאי דְלָא זָכֵי, וְקָלָא נָפְקַת, וַוי לְאִינוּן חַיָּיבִין דְּלָא זָכוּ. מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא, נָפֵיק אֶשָּׁא דְשַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּדָלֵיק, דְּשָׁארֵי עַל רֵישֵׁיהוֹן דְּחַיָּיבַיָא. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן, כָּל אִינוּן דַּאֲזָלוּ בְּאוֹרַח קְשׁוֹט בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, לְמִזְכֵּי לְהַהוּא נְהוֹרָא עִלָּאָה, בִּרְכָאן דְּצַחְצְחָן, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר וְהִשְׂבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ. (עד כאן תוספתא)

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