Vayechi: Chapter 8

" ...Appeared to me at Luz"

Synopsis

Rabbi Aba explains that Luz is Jerusalem, namely Binah, which will give a blessing to Jacob and thereby ensure that the land will be given to his children. Rabbi Elazar further describes that the blessing will also ensure a pure land, and happy will be the portion of the land he will keep. Rabbi Elazar comments on circumcision, namely Yud, as being required in order to be called children of The Creator (holy children). Without it, as Rabbis Aba and Yosi point out, they will die without repentance, in this world and in the next.

Relevance

The awesome energy and Light that issues from the land of Yisrael, concentrated in the city of Jerusalem, is bestowed upon the reader. In addition, the power of purification, associated with the mystical Light aroused through circumcision, is imbued within our souls, helping to cleanse iniquities resulting from negative sexual behavior and adulterated thoughts.

Blessing Canaan Holy Land Jacob Jerusalem Joseph Luz Shadai Shechinah Zeir Anpin

64. "And Jacob said to Joseph, 'El Shadai appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan'" (Beresheet 48:3). Rabbi Aba said, Luz is the Celestial Jerusalem, NAMELY BINAH, which puts the Shechinah to dwell with us. Supernal Jacob, ZEIR ANPIN, said to the lower JACOB, BINAH blessed me, for it wants to increase you and give the land to your children. Luz, the Celestial Jerusalem, BINAH, WHICH IS the Holy One, blessed be He, gave a blessing which will be fulfilled in the Holy Land, but outside THE LAND, in another land, there shall be no blessing.

64. וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב אֶל יוֹסֵף אֵל שַׁדַּי נִרְאָה אֵלַי בְּלוּז בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן. ר' אַבָּא אֲמַר, לוּז דָּא יְרוּשָׁלִַם עִלָּאָה, דְּאַשְׁרָאָה שְׁכִינְתָּא בֵּינָהָא, אֲמַר יַעֲקֹב עִלָּאָה לְתַתָּא, הַב לִי בִּרְכָתָא דְּהוּא בָּעֵי, לְאַנְפֵּישׁ יַתְכוֹן אֲנָא, וּלְמִיתַּן יַת אַרְעָא לִבְנֵיכוֹן. לוּז זוֹ יְרוּשָׁלִַם עִלָּאָה, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הַב בִּרְכָתָא דְּהַוְויָן בְּרָכָה דָּא עַל יְדֵיהּ, בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, אֲבָל בְּרָא, לְאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא, לָא יְהֵא בִּרְכָתָא.

Curse Morning

65. Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion saying, "He that blesses a friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him" (Mishlei 27:14). The Holy One, blessed be He, called Yisrael brothers and friends. THE MEANING OF THIS VERSE "THAT BLESSES A FRIEND" REFERS TO THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WHO BLESSES YISRAEL. HE ASKS, What did He bless them? HE REPLIES, That this nation will be pure under Him, and that He will watch over them.

65. ר' אֶלְעָזָר פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, מְבָרֵךְ רֵעֵהוּ בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל בַּבֹּקֶר הַשְׁכֵּם קְלָלָה תֵּחָשֶׁב לוֹ, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַחִים וְרֵעִים, מַאי בִּרְכָתָא יְהַב לוֹן, דִּיהוֹן הַאי עַמָּא דַּכְיָא תְּחוֹת יְדֵיהּ, וְלִמֶהֱוֵי עֲלֵיהוֹן נָטֵיר.

Circumcision Shadai

66. Happy is the portion of this pure nation WHICH HE KEEPS, for they are called dear children more than the supernal beings, as it is written, "You are the children of Hashem" (Devarim 14:1), all for that reason. What is this reason? HE REPLIES, That the name SHADAI is completed by their seal, for they are circumcised.

66. זַכָּאָה חוּלְקֵהוֹן דְּהַאי עַמָּא דַכְיָא, דְּהוּא עֲלֵיהוֹן, דְּאִקְרֵי בָנִים חֲבִיבִים יַתִּיר מֵעִלָּאָה, כְּתִיב בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה,' כֹּלָּא בְּדִיל דָּא. מַאי הוּא, בְּדִיל דְּאִשְׁתְּלֵים שְׁמָא בְּחוֹתָמָא דִלְהוֹן, דְּאִינוּן גְּזִירִין.

Abraham Circumcision Eyes Face Nose

67. Come and see, The Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is in a man's face, NAMELY SHIN, but Yud is missing and thus it is not complete. When Abraham came and became dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, He said to him: 'In you shall this name be completed. He circumcised himself, and the name became complete through the Yud of circumcision. For Shin is found in a man's face; NAMELY, THE TWO EYES AND THE NOSE IN THE MIDDLE. IN HIS ARM, you find Dalet, and the Yud is missing, the Yud of which circumcision completes. Then they are called children of Hashem, holy children.

67. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּאַנְפּוֹי דְּאֵינָשָׁא שְׁמָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְחַסְרָא יוּ"ד מִנֵּיהּ, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלֵים, אָתָא אַבְרָהָם וְחִבֵּב לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וַא"ל בָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלֵים שְׁמָא, וְאִתְגְּזַר, וְאִשְׁתְּלֵים שְׁמָא בְּיוּ"ד דְּמִילָה. בְּאַנְפּוֹי דְּאֶנָּשָׁא שי"ן דְּשד"י, וְד,' חָסֵר יו"ד, אִשְׁתְּלֵים בְּיו"ד דְּמִילָה, וּכְדֵין אִקְרוּן בָּנִים לַה,' בְּנִין קַדִּישִׁין.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Seal

68. When the sign of the Holy Covenant is defiled and put into the dominion of the other, NAMELY BY TRANSGRESSING WITH IT, the holiness of the seal is gone from him, and he is considered as if he ruined the world, for he has defiled the seal upon which the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is completed. Thus he ruins the world BY STOPPING THE BOUNTY OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, FROM THE WORLD.

68. וְכַד מְסָאֲבִין לֵיהּ לְהַאי אָת קַיָּימָא קַדִּישָׁא, וְעָאֵיל לֵיהּ לִרְשׁוּ אָחֳרָא, סָלֵיק מִנֵּיהּ הַאי קִדּוּשָׁא דְּחוֹתָמָא, וְהוּא כְּמָה דְחָרֵיב עַלְמָא, וְסָאֵיב חוֹתָמָא, דְּאִשְׁתְּלֵים בֵּיהּ שְׁמָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְהָא הוּא חָרֵיב עַלְמָא.

Face Repentance Wicked Wickedness World to Come, The

69. Rabbi Aba was walking from Cappadocia with Rabbi Yosi. While they were walking they saw a man there with a mark upon his face. Woe to the wicked, who will die without repentance, and the mark will not disappear, neither in this world nor in the World to Come.

69. ר' אַבָּא הֲוָה אָזֵיל מִקַּפּוֹטְקִיָּא, וַהֲוָה עִמֵּיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי, עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי, חָמוּ חַד ב"נ דַּהֲוָה אָתֵי, וּרְשִׁימָא חַד בְּאַנְפּוֹי, אֲבָל וַוי לוֹן לְחַיָּיבַיָא, דִימוּתוּן בְּלָא תְּשׁוּבָה, דְּלָא יַעֲדֵי מִנֵּיהּ רְשִׁימָא, לָא בְּעַלְמָא דֵין, וְלָא בְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי.

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