Vayechi: Chapter 72

"Set me as a seal upon your heart"

Synopsis

While sheltering themselves from the bright sun in a cave, Rabbi Aba and Rabbi Elazar discuss, "Set me as a seal upon your heart.". Rabbi Elazar tells of Rabbi Shimon's interpretation of this verse, explaining that only the souls of the righteous can raise the Female Waters of the Female Principle. After the male and female were joined, the Female Principle quoted, "Set me as a seal upon your heart", desiring to retain a likeness even in separation. Similarly, Yisrael desired to remain with the Shechinah in some way, even in exile. Yisrael's love of God is so strong that any separation from Him is as difficult to bear as the day when the spirit leaves the body.

The discussion then turns to the verse, "Jealousy is cruel as Sheol." We learn that jealousy is a sign of true love. Therefore, a man should be jealous of his wife so that he will be attached to her in complete love and will not look at other women. Another explanation is that when the wicked are brought down to Sheol, their sins are announced and the jealous demand reckoning for these sins. We then learn that the "flame of Yah" is the burning flame that comes out of the Shofar, the burning of the flame of Yisrael's love of God. This love burns so strongly that rather than extinguishing it, the "many waters" of Chesed add to it. Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Yitzchak then join Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba to conclude the discussion.

Relevance

Deep love for The Creator burns within us as Light and love emanate from these poetic words. This energy also helps to remove envy and jealousy of others from our hearts, while stirring a positive form of jealousy (is there an alternative to the word "jealousy" that we could use for the positive connotation? Here and in the rest of the section, positive jealousy is hard to visualize.), passion, and appreciation for our spouses.

Caves Congregation Female Waters (Mayin Nukvin) Fire Flame Flow Fruit Heart Mayin Nukvin (Female Waters) Nukva Righteous Seal Soul, The Sun Torah Waters Zeir Anpin

730. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba entered a cave in Lod to escape the bright sun upon the road WHICH THEY COULD NOT BEAR. Rabbi Aba said, Let us encompass this cave with words of the Torah. Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion saying, "Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm...its coals are coals of fire, the very flame of Yah" (Shir Hashirim 8:6). We have already roused this verse; NAMELY EXPLAINED IT. Yet one night, when I was attending to my father, RABBI SHIMON, I heard from him that the Congregation of Yisrael, THE NUKVA, had no perfection, desire or passion towards the Holy One, blessed be He, but from the souls of the righteous, who excite the flow of the lower waters OF THE NUKVA toward the supernal waters OF ZEIR ANPIN; MEANING, THEY RAISE THE MAYIN NUKVIN (FEMALE WATERS) OF THE NUKVA. Then is a time of perfect will and passion to become one and produce fruit.

730. ר' אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי אַבָּא, אִשְׁתְּמִיטוּ בִּמְעַרְתָּא דְלוּד, דְּעָאלוּ קַמֵּי תּוֹקְפָא דְשִׁמְשָׁא, דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא. אֲמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא נַסְחַר הַאי מְעַרְתָּא בְּמִלֵּי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. פְּתַח ר' אֶלְעָזָר וַאֲמַר, שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ כַּחוֹתָם עַל זְרוֹעֶךָ וגו,' רְשָׁפֶיהָ רִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ שַׁלְּהֶבֶת יָהּ, הַאי קְרָא אִתְעָרְנָא בֵּיהּ, אֲבָל לֵילְיָא חַד הֲוָה, כַּד הֲוֵינָא קָאֵים קַמֵּי אַבָּא, וְשָׁמַעְנָא מִנֵּיהּ מִלָּה, דְּלֵית שְׁלִימוּ וּרְעוּתָא וְכִסּוּפָא דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אֶלָּא בְּנִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא, דְּאִינוּן מִתְעָרֵי נְבִיעוּ דְמַיָא תַּתָּאֵי, לְקִבְלֵי עִלָּאֵי, וּבְהַהִיא שַׁעְתָא שְׁלִימוּ דִּרְעוּתָא וְכִסּוּפָא בִּדְבִיקוּ חָדָא, לְמֶעְבַּד פֵּירִין.

Congregation Exile Female Heart Likenesses Male Nukva Seal Zeir Anpin

731. Come and see, After THE MALE AND THE FEMALE cleaved to each other, and she was desirous OF ZEIR ANPIN, she said, "Set me as a seal upon your heart." Why a seal? Because a seal, when it is imprinted, even after it is removed, its impress remains there, and is never erased, but its shape and likeness stay. Thus said the Congregation of Yisrael, THE NUKVA: Now that I have cleaved to you, even though I shall leave and go into exile, "set me as a seal upon your heart" so that my likeness will remain with you, like the seal which leaves its imprint wherever it is pressed.

731. תָּא חֲזֵי , בָּתַר דְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּ דָּא בְּדָא, וְהִיא קַבֵּילַת רְעוּתָא, הִיא אֲמָרַת שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ, אַמַּאי כַחוֹתָם. אֶלָּא אָרְחֵיהּ דְּחוֹתָם, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְדַּבַּק בַּאֲתַר חַד, אע"ג דְּאִתְעֲדֵי מִינֵיהּ, הָא אִשְׁתָּאַר רְשִׁימוּ בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר, וְלָא אַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ, דְּכָל רְשִׁימוּ, וְכָל דְּיוֹקְנָא דִילֵיהּ, בֵּיהּ אִשְׁתָּאַר. כָּךְ אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, הָא אִתְדַּבַּקְנָא בָּךְ, אע"ג דְּאִתְעֲדֵי מִינָךְ וְאָזֵיל בְּגָלוּתָא, שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתָּאַר כָּל דְּיוֹקְנִי בָּךְ, כְּהַאי חוֹתָם דְּיִשְׁתָּאַר כָּל דְּיוֹקְנֵיהּ, בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּאִתְדַּבַּק בֵּיהּ.

Body Congregation Death Death and the Afterlife Love Seas

732. "For love is strong as death" (Ibid.). It is as strong as the spirit taking leave of the body. For we have learned that when the time comes for a man to depart from the world and he sees certain sights, the spirit goes to every limb in the body and courses on waves like a passenger UPON A BOAT at sea, without oars, helplessly going up and down. Nothing is more difficult than the day when the spirit takes leave of the body. So the love of the Congregation of Yisrael for the Holy One, blessed be He, is as strong as death is, when the spirit departs from the body.

732. כִּי עַזָּה כַמָּוֶת אַהֲבָה, תַּקִּיפָא הִיא, כִּפְרִישׁוּ דְרוּחָא מִן גּוּפָא. דְּתָנִינָן, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּב"נ מָטֵי לְאִסְתַּלָּקָא מִן עַלְמָא וְחָמֵי מַה דְּחָמֵי, רוּחָא אָזְלָא בְּכָל שַׁיְיפֵי דְגוּפָא וְסָלֵיק גַּלְגַּלּוֹי, כְּמַאן דְאָזֵיל בְּיַמָּא בְּלָא שַׁיָּיטִין, סָלֵיק וְנָחֵית וְלָא מְהַנְיָיא לֵיהּ, אָתָא וְאִישְׁתָּאֵיל מִכָּל שַׁיְיפֵי גוּפָא, וְלֵית תַּקִּיפוּ כְּיוֹמָא דְּפָרֵישׁ רוּחָא מִן גּוּפָא. כָּךְ תַּקִּיפוּ דִּרְחִימוּ דְּכנ"י לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּתַקִּיפוּ דְמוֹתָא, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְבָעֵי רוּחָא לְאִתְפְּרָשָׁא מִן גּוּפָא.

Jealousy Love Sheol Wicked Wickedness Women

733. "Jealousy is cruel as Sheol ..." (Ibid.). Whoever loves and is not jealous, his love is not true love. When he is jealous, love is perfected. From this we have learned that a man should be jealous of his wife, so as to be attached to her in complete love. For this way he does not look at other women. What is "cruel (lit. 'hard') as Sheol?" As it is hard for the wicked to descend to Sheol, so it is hard for the jealous lover to part from his love.

733. קָשָׁה כִּשְׁאוֹל קִנְאָה, כָּל מַאן דְּרָחֵים, וְלָא קָשֵׁיר עִמֵּיהּ קִנְאָה, לָאו רְחִימוּתֵיהּ רְחִימוּתָא, כֵּיוָן דְּקַנֵּי, הָא רְחִימוּתָא אִשְׁתְּלֵים. מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא דְּבָעֵי ב"נ לְקַנָּאָה לְאִנְתְּתֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיִתְקַשַּׁר עִמָּהּ רְחִימוּתָא שְׁלִים, דְּהָא מִגּוֹ כָּךְ לָא יָהֵיב עֵינוֹי בְּאִינְתּוּ אָחֳרָא. מַהוּ קָשָׁה כִּשְׁאוֹל. אֶלָּא, מַה שְּׁאוֹל קַשְׁיָא בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ דְּחַיָּיבִין לְמֵיחַת בֵּיהּ, כָּךְ קִנְאָה קַשְׁיָא בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ דְּמַאן דְּרָחֵים וְקַנֵּי, לְאִתְפְּרָשָׁא מֵרְחִימוּתָא.

Jealousy Love Sheol Sin Wicked Wickedness

734. Another explanation for "jealousy is cruel as Sheol" is that when the wicked are brought down to Sheol, their sins are announced to them, for which they are brought down. They find it hard, so he who is jealous demands reckoning for sins, and enumerates all the SUSPICIOUS things SHE DID, and his love grows strong.

734. ד"א קָשָׁה כִּשְׁאוֹל קִנְאָה, מַה שְּׁאוֹל, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּנָחֲתִין לוֹן לְחַיָּיבַיָא בֵּיהּ, מוֹדִיעִין לוֹן חוֹבַיְיהוּ עַל מָה נָחֲתִין לֵיהּ, וְקַשְׁיָא לְהוֹ. כָּךְ, מַאן דְּקַנֵּי, הוּא תָּבַע עַל חוֹבֵיהּ, וְחָשֵׁיב כַּמָּה עוֹבָדִין, וּכְדֵין קִשּׁוּרָא דִּרְחִימוּתָא אִתְקַשַּׁר בֵּיהּ.

Aba and Ima Fire Flame Hands Head Love Shechinah Shofar

735. "Its coals are coals of fire, the very flame of Yah." What is the very flame of Yah? It is the burning flame which comes out of the Shofar, YESOD OF IMA CALLED YAH. Once it is aroused, it burns. What is it? The Left COLUMN OF IMA, as it is written, "His left hand is under my head" (Shir Hashirim 8:3). It burns the flame of the Congregation of Yisrael's love, THE SHECHINAH, for the Holy One, blessed be He.

735. רְשָׁפֶיהָ רִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ שַׁלְהֶבֶת יָהּ, מַאן שַׁלְהֶבֶת יָהּ, דָּא שַׁלְהוֹבָא דְּאִתּוֹקְדָא וְנַפְקָא מִגּוֹ שׁוֹפָר, דְּאִיהוּ אִתְעַר וְאוֹקֵיד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, שְׂמָאלָא. הה"ד שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי. דָּא אוֹקֵיד שַׁלְּהוֹבָא דִּרְחִימוּ דִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

Flame Hands Love Water Waters

736. Therefore, "many waters cannot quench love" (Shir Hashirim 8:7), for when the right comes, which is water, CHESED, it adds to the burning of love, instead of extinguishing the flame of the left, as it says "and his right hand embraces me" (Ibid. 3). Hence "many waters cannot quench love." All THE FOLLOWING VERSES are EXPOUNDED UPON in this manner.

736. וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ, מַיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה. דְּהָא כַּד אָתֵי יְמִינָא דְּאִיהוּ מַיִם, אוֹסֵיף יְקִידוּ דִּרְחִימוּתָא, וְלָא כָּבֵי שַׁלְהוֹבָא דִשְׂמָאלָא, כְּד"א וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי, הַאי אִיהוּ מַיִם רַבִּים לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה, וְכֵן כֹּלָּא כְּהַאי גַוְונָא.

Caves Congregation Heart Love Seal Shechinah Walls

737. As they were sitting, they heard Rabbi Shimon, who was coming this way together with Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yitzchak. RABBI SHIMON approached the cave, and Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Aba came out. Rabbi Shimon said, From the walls of the cave I see that the Shechinah is here. They sat down and Rabbi Shimon asked, What are you studying? Rabbi Aba said, The Congregation of Yisrael's love for the Holy One, blessed be He. Rabbi Elazar explained the verse, "Set me as a seal upon your heart" as referring to the Congregation of Yisrael. Rabbi Shimon said, Elazar, you have looked upon sublime love and the bond of amity.

737. עַד דַּהֲוָה יַתְבֵי, שָׁמְעוּ קָלֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, דַּהֲוָה אָתֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא, הוּא וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרִבִּי יִצְחָק. קָרֵיב לִמְעַרְתָּא, נָפְקוּ רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרִבִּי אַבָּא. אֲמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, מִכּוֹתְלֵי דִמְעַרְתָּא חָמִינָא, דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא הָכָא. יָתְבוּ. אֲמַר ר' שִׁמְעוֹן בְּמַאי עַסְקִיתוּ. אֲמַר ר' אַבָּא, בִּרְחִימוּתָא דִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְר"א פָּרֵישׁ הַאי קְרָא בִּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שִׂימֵנִי כַחוֹתָם עַל לִבֶּךָ וגו.' אֲמַר לֵיהּ, אֶלְעָזָר בִּרְחִימוּ עִלָּאָה וּקְשִׁירוּ דַּחֲבִיבוּתָא אִסְתַּכַּלְתְּ.

Torah

738. Rabbi Shimon was silent for a while, then said, Silence is always good everywhere, except in relation to the Torah. I have a hidden secret, which I do not wish to be lost from you. It is a supernal matter, which I found in the book of Rav Hamnuna Saba (the elder).

738. אִשְׁתִּיק רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן שַׁעְתָּא, אֲמַר בְּכָל אֲתַר בָּעְיָיא שְׁתִיקוּ, בַּר שְׁתִיקוּ דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. גִּינְזָא חָדָא אִית לִי גְנִיזָא, וְלָא בָּעֵינָא דְּיִתְאֲבֵיד מִנַּיְיכוּ, וְהִיא מִלָּה עִלָּאָה, וְאַשְׁכַּחְנָא לָהּ בְּסִפְרָא דְרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא.

Female Heart Love Male Seal

739. Come and see, the male always chases after the female and arouses her love. Yet here I found that she arouses his love and courts him, AS SAID IN THE VERSE, "SET ME AS A SEAL UPON YOUR HEART..." According to custom, it is not proper that the female runs after the male. But OF NECESSITY this is a deep matter, a supernal matter HIDDEN among the King's treasures.

739. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכָל אֲתַר דְּכוּרָא רָדֵיף בָּתַר נוּקְבָא, וְאִתְעַר לְגַבָּהּ רְחִימוּתָא, וְהָכָא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא, דְּהִיא אִתְעָרַת רְחִימוּתָא וְרָדְפָה אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וְאוֹרְחֵיהּ דְּעַלְמָא, דְּלֵית שִׁבְחָא דְנוּקְבָא, לְמִרְדַּף בַּתְרֵיהּ דִּדְכוּרָא. אֶלָּא, מִלָּה סְתִימָא הִיא, וּמִלָּה עִלָּאָה דְבֵי גְנָזַיָיא דְמַלְכָּא.

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