"Dan shall judge his people"

695. "Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Yisrael" (Beresheet 49:16). Rabbi Chiya said, This verse should have been, 'Dan shall judge the tribes of Yisrael' or 'Dan shall judge the tribes of Yisrael as one.' What is the meaning of "Dan shall judge his people" followed by "as one of the tribes of Yisrael?"

696. HE ANSWERS, Dan, whom it says was "rearward of all the camps" (Bemidbar 10:25), is the left thigh, NAMELY HOD, and went last. HE EXPLAINS, Come and see, when Judah and Reuben march, the Levites and the ark unfurl their standard and then the standard of Ephraim marches to the west. The right thigh marches according to order, BY WHICH THE RIGHT THIGH GOES BEFORE THE LEFT THIGH, DAN. THEREFORE DAN IS THE LAST TO MOVE. You may say that Zebulun is the one who goes in and out, as it says of him, "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out" (Devarim 33:18), FOR HE PERTAINS TO THE THIGH, AS EXPRESSLY STATED, "And his border (also: 'thigh') shall be at Tzidon" (Beresheet 49:13). ZEBULUN THEN SHOULD BE THE THIGH AND NOT EPHRAIM. HE ANSWERS, Judah comprises all of them.

697. HE EXPLAINS THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE FOUR STANDARDS, SAYING, come and behold: the upper Malchut, THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, comprises everything, ALL THE TWELVE BODY SEGMENTS, and Judah is the lower Malchut. As the upper Malchut comprises everything, so does the lower Malchut (kingdom), Judah, comprise the whole body and the thigh; NAMELY TIFERET AND THE TWELVE JOINTS IN THE ARMS AND LEGS, in order to grow in strength.

698. It is written, "From His right hand went a fiery law for them" (Devarim 33:2), which means that the Torah was given from the side of Gvurah, WHICH IS FIRE. BUT Gvurah was included within the right, CHESED, in the body, TIFERET, and the thigh, NETZACH AND HOD, and all THE SFIROT. The first corps OF THE STANDARDS is Judah's, which is Malchut from the side of Gvurah, BUT included within the right in the body and in the thigh, and all THE SFIROT, like Malchut above, THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, comprises all THE SFIROT.

699. The second corps of the standards is Reuben's, who was on the south side, which is right, CHESED. But the strength of the right, OF REUBEN, was taken by Judah, since the kingship was removed from Reuben, for "unstable as water, you shall not excel" (Beresheet 49:4). So Judah took it and was reinforced with the power of the right, which was Reuben's. It is also said of David, WHO IS COME FROM JUDAH, "Hashem says to my master, 'Sit at My right hand'" (Tehilim 110:1), because left is included in the right and has become strengthened. And so is written, "The right hand of Hashem does valiantly" (Tehilim 118:16). SINCE JUDAH TOOK ALL REUBEN'S POWER OF THE RIGHT, HE WAS THE FIRST TO MARCH. Judah and Reuben were the two arms, REUBEN THE RIGHT AND JUDAH THE LEFT ARM.

700. The third corps OF THE STANDARDS is that of Ephraim, who is the right thigh, NETZACH, which always goes before the left. Dan, who is the left thigh, HOD, goes last and is therefore "the rearward of all the camps" and marches last.

701. Judah had a portion in the two arms, CHESED AND GVURAH, since Reuben, who is the right arm, lost his birthright, priesthood and the kingship. It therefore says of Judah, "Let his hands be sufficient for him; and be you a help to him from his enemies" (Devarim 33:7), WHICH REFERS TO THE TWO HANDS, CHESED AND GVURAH.

702. Come and behold, it is written, "The King made a great throne of ivory" (I Melachim 10:18). The throne of Solomon was constructed after the supernal pattern, and all the supernal forms, NAMELY THE LION, THE OX, AND SO ON, were upon it. THUS THE LOWER MALCHUT, SOLOMON, WHO IS A DESCENDANT OF JUDAH, INCLUDES ALL THE SFIROT LIKE THE UPPER MALCHUT. Of this says the verse, "Then Solomon sat on the throne of Hashem as king" (I Divrei Hayamim 29:23). The word king without attributes POSSIBLY DOES NOT REFER TO SOLOMON, BUT ALLUDES TO THE SUPERNAL MALCHUT. THE LESSON OF THE VERSE IS THAT "SOLOMON SAT ON THE THRONE OF HASHEM" LIKE A KING, THE SUPERNAL MALCHUT, AND LIKE IT COMPRISED ALL THE SFIROT. "Then Solomon sat upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was firmly established" (I Melachim 2:12). "HIS KINGDOM" REFERS TO THE SUPERNAL MALCHUT, WHICH MEANS THAT the moon, THE SUPERNAL KINGDOM, was full. HERE TOO, "AS KING" ALLUDES TO THE SUPERNAL MALCHUT.

703. "Dan shall judge his people" first, and then "the tribes of Yisrael." THE WORD "as one" MEANS like the lone one in the world, MEANING, HE JUDGED ON HIS OWN LIKE THE ONLY ONE OF THE WORLD. This applies to Samson, who singlehandedly executed justice in the world, sentenced and killed by himself and needed no help.

704. "Dan shall judge his people" (Beresheet 49:16). Rabbi Yitzchak said, Dan is a serpent which lurks in ways and paths. It may be said that this is true for Samson alone. NOT SO (MEANS IT ISN'T TRUE), but this is also (MEANS IT IS TRUE)true above. It is the little serpent in "the rearward of all the camps" AT THE END OF THE GRADES OF HOLINESS. It lurks in the ways and paths, and from it issue armies and hosts OF FIENDS, which lurk in wait for people, TO PUNISH THEM for the sins they cast behind their backs, MEANING, WHICH THEY DID NOT NOTICE, AND THEN SAY THEY DO NOT COMMIT. Rabbi Chiya said, This was the primordial serpent above before it was tempered by the gladdening wine.

705. "A serpent by the way" (Ibid. 17): Come and see, as there is a way above IN BINAH, so there is a way below IN MALCHUT. The sea is divided THROUGH THESE TWO WAYS into several paths on each side, EACH INCLUDED OF BOTH. There is one path, which adds MOCHIN OF THE FIRST THREE SFIROT to the sea, MALCHUT. It breeds all kinds of bad fish, FOR THE KLIPOT APPROACH TO SUCK ABUNDANCE FROM THERE AND THUS GROW. As the water below breed good fish, bad fish and frogs, so bad fish issue FROM THE SUPERNAL SEA.

706. When THE KLIPOT go by way of the sea, SUCKING ABUNDANCE FROM IT, they are seen riding on horses, and were it not for the serpent in the rearward of the camps, NAMELY DAN, THE LITTLE SERPENT which lies in the end of the paths and wards them off, they would destroy the world. OF THEM SAYS THE VERSE, "THAT BITES THE HORSE'S HEELS, SO THAT HIS RIDER SHALL FALL BACKWARD" (IBID.). THESE ARE THE DEMONS WHO RIDE HORSES. From the side OF THE KLIPOT, sorcerers come into the world. Come and behold, it is written of Bilaam: "He went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments (lit. 'serpents')" (Bemidbar 24:1), which are made to cast spells with their charms.

707. See the words, "Dan shall be a serpent by the way." HE ASKS, What way is this? HE ANSWERS, Whoever follows the serpent, rejects the household of heaven, CAUSES DIMINUTION IN THE HOLY HOSTS IN THE SUPERNAL WORLD. How so? Because this is a way which begins above, as it is written, "Who makes a way in the sea" (Yeshayah 43:16). Whoever follows the serpent, it is as if he treads this way and lessens it, BY DIMINISHING ITS ABUNDANCE, since from this way the upper worlds are sustained. HE SPOILS THEIR NOURISHMENT AND CAUSES THEM TO BECOME THIN.

708. You may ask why Dan is in this grade, WHICH IS OF THE ASPECT OF THE EVIL KLIPAH. HE ANSWERS, Like "the bright blade of a revolving sword to guard the way to the Tree of Life" (Beresheet 3:24), IT SAYS here "that bites the horse's heels..." for the protection of all the camps. Rabbi Elazar said, This is the fixing of the throne. TO WIT, DAN HOLDING TO THE GRADE OF THE KLIPAH IS THE UPHOLDING OF THE NUKVA, TO KEEP HER FROM THE SUCKING ? OF THE FIENDS WHICH RIDE HORSES. Come and see, Upon Solomon's throne, there is a serpent dangling from the scepter above the lions THAT ARE ON THE THRONE, WHICH TEACHES US THAT THERE IS A SERPENT IN THE MAKING OF THE THRONE.

709. It is written, "And the spirit of Hashem began to move him in the camp of Dan" (Shoftim 13:25). Come and see, Samson was a permanent Nazirite and a recluse of great strength. He was a serpent in this world against the heathen nations, for he inherited the portion of blessings of his ancestor Dan, as it is written, "Dan shall be a serpent by the way."

710. Rabbi Chiya said, We understand about the serpent, but what of the adder? He said to him: The secret of making spells is that the serpent is an adder, THOUGH THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT SPECIES, THEY CAST THE SAME SPELLS AS IF THEY WERE OF THE SAME KIND. It is written also of the evil Bilaam, who was omniscient, that he "went to a steep place (Heb. shefi)" (Bemidbar 23:3), WHICH ALLUDES TO THE ADDER (HEB. SHEFIFON), THOUGH BEFORE IT IS WRITTEN, "HE WENT NOT, AS AT OTHER TIMES, TO SEEK FOR ENCHANTMENTS (OR: SERPENTS)" (BEMIDBAR 24:1). He used now the one now the other, NOW THE SERPENT AND NOW THE ADDER, SINCE HE HAD KNOWLEDGE OF BOTH.

711. You may say that it does not pertain to Dan's grade to use THE SERPENT AND THE ADDER. HE REPLIES, Indeed it does not, but he was appointed over this grade TO USE IT FOR THE NEEDS OF HOLINESS, being of the last grade. This is to his honor, for there are chieftains charged by the King over this or that, and it is considered to be an honor to all the appointes TO BE APPOINTED BY THE KING, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY ARE APPOINTED OVER, for the King's throne is fixed through all the chiefs together, and under them there are paths and grades for the good and for evil, all of them united in the making of the throne, THE NUKVA. Hence Dan is to the north, NAMELY THE LEFT THIGH OF THE NUKVA WHICH IS HOD. In a hole of the great abyss, IN THE END OF THE LEFT THIGH, WHICH IS BINAH OF THE KLIPAH, there are many battalions of evil demons, all in charge of harming the world.

712. For this reason, Jacob prayed, saying, "I wait for Your salvation, O Hashem" (Beresheet 49:18). HE ASKS, Why does he not ask for salvation in regard to the other tribes, only to this one. HE REPLIES, This is because he has seen the force and strength of the serpent, when judgment is aroused to overpower HOLINESS. HE THEREFORE PRAYED FOR SALVATION.

713. Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chizkiyah were going to visit Rabbi Shimon in Cappadocia. Rabbi Chizkiyah said, It is known that a man should first pronounce the praises of his Master and only then to say his prayer. A QUESTION ARISES, What of a man who is in distress or in trouble and wishes to pray, yet cannot pronounce his Master's praises?

714. Rabbi Yosi said to him: He is not fully devoted in heart and will, yet why should he fail to praise his Master? He should first pronounce his Master's praises, though not with perfect devotion, and then say his prayer. This is the meaning of "A prayer of David. Hear the right, O Hashem, attend to my cry" (Tehilim 17:1). First, "Hear the right, O Hashem," which is the praises for the Master, and only then "attend to my cry give ear to my prayer." Whoever can praise his Master, yet does not do so, of him it is written, "Even when you make many prayers, I will not hear..." (Yeshayah 1:15).

715. It is written, "The one lamb shall you offer in the morning, and the other lamb shall you offer at evening" (Bemidbar 28:4). The prayers were ordained in the place of the daily offerings, THE MORNING PRAYER CORRESPONDS TO THE MORNING OFFERING, MINCHAH TO THE EVENING OFFERING. Come and see, by the awakening below CAUSED BY THE SACRIFICE OF THE OFFERING, there is also awakening above. Through the awakening above towards that which is higher still, IT IS AROUSED too, until the awakening reaches the place where the candle is to be lit, and it is lit. Thus IT IS FOUND THAT through the ascent of the smoke WHICH RISES FROM THE OFFERING below, the candle is lit above, WHICH IS THE NUKVA. When this candle is lit, all other candles are lit and all the worlds are blessed through it. Thus the awakening of the offering is the support of the world, and the blessings of all worlds.

716. HE EXPLAINS HIS WORDS, How is this performed? When the smoke from the offering commences to rise, the holy forms appointed over the world OF ASIYAH are prepared to rouse AND RAISE MAYIM NUKVIN (FEMALE WATERS.) They are aroused towards the grades above them IN THE WORLD OF YETZIRAH, with great desire, as it says, "The young lions roar after their prey..." (Tehilim 104:21). Those OF THE WORLD OF YETZIRAH are aroused toward the grades above them IN THE WORLD OF BRIYAH, UNTIL THE AWAKENING REACHES THE PLACE WHERE THE CANDLE IS TO BE LIT; NAMELY until the King, ZEIR ANPIN, wishes to join the Matron, THE NUKVA.

717. HE EXPLAINS THE MEANING OF MAYIN NUKVIN, saying that through the desire below, the lower waters, NAMELY MAYIN NUKVIN, rise to receive the upper waters FROM THE GRADE ABOVE IT. The lower waters do not flow save through the arousal of the desire of the lower one. Then the desire OF THE LOWER AND THE UPPER cleave together, the lower waters flow to meet the DESCENDING upper waters, AND THE MATING IS CONSUMMATED. The worlds are blessed, all the candles lit, and the upper and lower beings are endowed with blessings.

718. Come and see, the priests FROM THE RIGHT COLUMN and the Levites FROM THE LEFT COLUMN are aroused WHEN THEY SACRIFICE THE OFFERING, so as to join the right with the left. Rabbi Chizkiyah said, This is true, yet I have heard AN EXPLANATION TO THIS. AT THE TIME OF OFFERING, the one stirs the left, NAMELY THE LEVITES, and the other, THE PRIESTS, the right. For the union of the male and the female occurs only through left and right, as it says, "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me" (Shir Hashirim 2:6). AFTER THE EMBRACE OF RIGHT AND LEFT, the male is united to the female with desire, all the worlds are blessed and there is joy high and low.

719. The priests and Levites then stir below THE OFFERING in order to arouse desire and love above, DESIRE BEING THE SECRET OF THE LEFT AND LOVE THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT, since all depends upon right and left. FOR THE CENTRAL COLUMN ONLY BRINGS THEM TOGETHER. It is found that the sacrifice is the foundation of the world, the making of the world, the joy of the upper and lower. Rabbi Yosi said, You have spoken well, and this is so. I, TOO, have heard the same, yet I forgot it. NOW that I hear it from you, it all comes up to one, NAMELY THROUGH THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER RIGHT AND LEFT AND COMPLETES THEM.

720. Now that prayer has taken the place of sacrifice, man should first pronounce the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, fittingly, for if he does not, his prayer is no prayer. Come and see, The perfect praise for the Holy One, blessed be He, is made by him who knows how to properly unite the Holy Name, WHO CAN RAISE MAYIN NUKVIN TO UNITE MALE AND FEMALE, for through this the upper and lower are awakened and draw blessings upon all the worlds.

721. Rabbi Chizkiyah said, The Holy One, blessed be He, put the children of Yisrael in exile among the nations for the sole purpose that the other nations be blessed through Yisrael, who daily draw blessings from above downward.

722. They went. As they were walking, they saw a snake on the road and turned aside. Another man came and the snake killed him. They turned their heads and saw the man dead. They said, Surely the snake acted by his Master's bidding; MEANING, THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, ORDERED HIM TO KILL THAT MAN. Blessed be the Merciful One who saved us.

723. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the verse, "Dan shall be a serpent by the way." When was Dan a serpent? In the days of Jeroboam, as it is written, "And the other put he in Dan" (I Melachim 12:29). BECAUSE "A SNAKE" REFERS TO IDOL WORSHIPPING. And why was he put there "by the road?" "By the way," so as to prevent the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Dan was then a snake "by the way" of Yisrael. "By the way" indeed, as it says, "the King took counsel, AND MADE TWO CALVES OF GOLD, AND SAID TO THEM, IT IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU TO GO UP TO JERUSALEM" (IBID. 28). HE THUS MADE THIS SNAKE BY THE WAY TO JERUSALEM TO PREVENT THEIR GOING THERE ON PILGRIMAGE. "An adder in the path" bit Yisrael. They were put "by the way" and in the path to prevent the children of Yisrael from going up to Jerusalem to celebrate their festivals, offer sacrifices and offering and worship there.

724. Come and see, when it was time for Moses to bless the tribes, he saw that Dan was attached to the serpent, and linked him again to the lion, WHICH IS CHESED. This is the meaning of the verse, "And of Dan he said, 'Dan is a lion's whelp, that leaps from Bashan'" (Devarim 33:22). Wherefore did he do this? So as to connect the first and the last of the four standards, Judah's who is king, as it is written, "Judah is a lion's whelp," the first of the standards, and Dan's in the rear, as is written, "Dan is a lion's whelp..." so as to link the beginning and the end to one place, THE LION WHICH IS CHESED.

725. "I wait (lit. 'waited' (why put "wait," then?) for your salvation, O Hashem" (Beresheet 49:18): Rabbi Chiya said, It is written, "And he shall begin to deliver Yisrael out of the hand of the Philistines" (Shoftim 13:5). THIS IS THE SALVATION JACOB WAITED FOR. Rabbi Acha said, Why DOES IT SAY, "I waited?" Jacob would have been dead these many years by then. Why did he say he was waiting for salvation? The secret of this matter is the verse, "And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Yisrael prevailed" (Shemot 17:11). The word Yisrael without attributes IS ZEIR ANPIN; NAMELY THE ASPECT OF JACOB. THUS THE SALVATION THROUGH SAMSON CONCERNS JACOB, THOUGH HE HAD ALREADY PASSED AWAY. Hence he said, "I wait (lit. 'waited') for your salvation, O Hashem." Rabbi Chiya said, Surely this is correct and well. Happy is the portion of the righteous who know how to study the Torah and merit through her life eternal, as it says "for He is your life, and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land..." (Devarim 30:20).