"And Jacob made an end of commanding his sons"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda explains that Jacob "commanded" his sons to be attached to the Shechinah, referencing the cave where Adam is buried, a place near the Garden of Eden. We're told that four couples are buried there, the three Patriarchs, their wives, and Adam and Eve. The Zohar explains that four are required to make up a Holy Chariot. The Creator, however, linked King David to the three Patriarchs to form the chariot. So why, Rabbi Yehuda asks, does Adam rest in the cave with the three Patriarchs while King David is buried elsewhere?

We are then told that Adam was allotted 1000 years of life, but 70 of his years were transferred to King David to allow for his physical existence.

Therefore, both King David and Adam signify Malchut, which represents Female. The three Patriarchs embody Zeir Anpin, which is Male. Thus, Adam could be the fourth aspect, "substituting" for David, allowing the Upper Worlds [the Patriarchs] and the Lower World [David or Adam] to be united. It is then explained that the cave where King David is buried corresponds to the male energy of the Upper World, whereas King David embodies the female energy of Malchut. Hence, spiritual balance between the supernal and mundane worlds is achieved through this burial arrangement.

Relevance

The symmetry and perfection of the world and its inhabitants, which were brought into existence by The Creator, exist in all of us. This force of balance and union, ignited by our reading, allows the Light of the Shechinah and holy blessings to filter into our world. Our bond to the great Patriarchs, King David and root of our soul, Adam, is strengthened and enriched.

Adam Blessing Caves Garden of Eden Jacob Shechinah

801. ר' יְהוּדָה פְּתַח קְרָא וַאֲמַר, וַיְכַל יַעֲקֹב לְצַוּוֹת אֶת בָּנָיו וגו.' וַיְכַל יַעֲקֹב לְצַוּוֹת אֶת בָּנָיו, לְצַוּוֹת, לְבָרֵךְ מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא דְּפַקֵּיד לוֹן לְגַבֵּי שְׁכִינְתָּא, לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא בַּהֲדָהּ. תוּ, דְּפַקֵּיד לוֹן עַל עִסְקֵי מְעַרְתָּא, דְּהִיא קְרֵיבָא לְגַן עֵדֶן, דְּתַמָּן הוּא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן קָבוּר.

Abraham Adam Chariot Corners David Eve Head Isaac Jacob Leah Patriarchs Rebecca Sarah Stone

802. Come and see, this place is called Kiryat Arba (lit. 'city of four') because four couples were buried there: Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rivkah, and Jacob and Leah. There is a difficulty here. We learned that the Patriarchs are a Holy Chariot, yet a Chariot consists of no less than four. We also learned that the Holy One, blessed be He, joined King David with THE PATRIARCHS, and they formed a complete Chariot OF FOUR. The meaning of: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the head stone of the corner" (Tehilim 118:21) is that King David joined them and formed with them a complete Chariot. David was then supposed to be buried with the Patriarchs so together with him it will be a city of four. Why was he not buried with them?

802. תָּא חֲזֵי, הַהוּא אֲתַר אִקְרֵי קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע. מ"ט. בְּגִין דְּתַמָּן אִתְקְבָרוּ אַרְבַּע זוּגוֹת: אָדָם וְחַוָּה. אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה. יִצְחָק וְרִבְקָה. יַעֲקֹב וְלֵאָה. הָא קוּשְׁיָא הָכָא, דְּתָנִינָן, אֲבָהָן אִינוּן רְתִיכָא קַדִּישָׁא, וּרְתִיכָא לָאו פָּחוֹת מֵאַרְבַּע, וְתָנִינָן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִחַבַּר לְמַלְכָּא דָוִד בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ רְתִיכָא שְׁלֵימָתָא, הה"ד, אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים וגו.' דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא אִתְחַבַּר לְמֶהֱוֵי רְתִיכָא שְׁלֵימָתָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ. אִי הָכֵי דָּוִד בָּעְיָא לְאִתְקְבָרָא בְּגוֹ אֲבָהָן, וְיֶהֱוֵי קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע בַּהֲדֵיהּ, מ"ט לָא אִתְקַבַּר בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ.

Adam Chariot David Form Patriarchs Seventy Year Zeir Anpin Zion

803. HE REPLIES, A place was prepared for King David, Zion, YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, with which to be united as one; and Adam was buried with the Patriarchs. They were buried with him, since he was the first king, from whom kingdom was removed and transferred to King David. King David lived with Adam's days, for it was decreed that Adam should live a thousand years, but seventy were removed from him to form King David's life and he gave them to him. ADAM WAS THEREFORE CONSIDERED TO PERTAIN TO MALCHUT, AND HE COMPLEMENTED THE CHARIOT OF THE FATHERS TO A FOURSOME. OTHERWISE, how could the Patriarchs rise TO HAVE A COMPLETE CHARIOT before the time of King David? OF NECESSITY DID ADAM COMPLEMENT THEM. DAVID WAS NOT BURIED WITH THEM, but merited a place worthy of him, WHICH IS ZION. Hence, he was not buried with the fathers.

803. אֶלָּא, דָּוִד מַלְכָא אֲתַר מִתְתַּקַּן הֲוָה לֵיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, וּמַאן הוּא. צִיּוֹן, לְאִתְחַבְּרָא לֵיהּ כַּחֲדָא. וְאָדָם דְּאִתְקַבַּר בְּגוֹ אֲבָהָן, הָא אִינוּן אִתְקְבָרוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ קַדְמָאָה הֲוָה, וְאִתְעֲבַר מִנֵּיהּ מַלְכוּ, וְאִתְיְהַב לְדָוִד מַלְכָּא, וּמִיּוֹמוֹי דְּאָדָם, אִתְקַיַּים דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, דְּאָדָם אֶלֶף שְׁנִין אִתְגְּזַר עֲלוֹי, וְאִתְעֲבָרוּ מִנֵּיהּ שַׁבְעִין שְׁנִין, יוֹמוֹי דְּדָוִד מַלְכָּא, וְהוּא יָהֵיב לוֹן, וַאֲבָהָן הֵיךְ יְקוּמוּן עַד דְּיֵיתֵי דָוִד מַלְכָּא, אֶלָּא זָכָה לְאַתְרֵיהּ, כִּדְקָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ, בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ לָא אִתְקְבַר לְגַבֵּי אֲבָהָן.

Chariot David Female Male Patriarchs Zeir Anpin Zion