"The mourning of Egypt"

Synopsis

Rabbi Yitzchak sheds light on the term, "the mourning of Egypt." We are told that when Jacob resided in Egypt, "the land was blessed, waters flowed and famine ceased." For this reason, scripture reads, "the mourning of Egypt" and not "the mourning of Israel [Jacob]."

Next, the significance of the word "utter" is examined in a particular verse of Torah. Yemalel, the Hebrew word for "utter," denotes the concept of severance and cutting. In the context of verse quoted by the Zohar, the word "utter" signifies the annulment and cancellation of judgments that emanate from the Sfirah of Gvurah, the Left Column force of Judgment.

Thereafter, we discover that the Egyptians were adept in the black arts and sorcery. However, while Jacob lived in this physical world, no nation, no matter how well versed in magic, could rule over Yisrael. Moreover, upon Jacob's passing from this physical plane, the Egyptians realized that Judgment would still rain down upon them; hence the term, "the mourning of Egypt."

Rabbi Shimon then reveals that upon his merit, he can protect those who are destined for death as a result of their wicked deeds, specifically, two Roman informers. He chooses not to.

Relevance

Our connection to Jacob helps ensure that Light flows into our lives even during times of great Judgment and negativity. The additional spiritual influences arising herein, help annul Judgments that are handed down against us in the supernal courts. Finally, the exalted Light of the author of the Zohar, Rabbi Shimon, protects us from the Angel of Death, even though we might not merit exoneration.

Atad Egypt Threshing

815. רִבִּי יִצְחָק פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד וגו,' וּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי אֶת הָאֵבֶל בְּגֹרֶן הָאָטָד וגו.' הַנֵּי קְרָאֵי אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּהוֹ, מַאי אִיכְפַּת לָן דְּאִינוּן אָתוֹ עַד גֹּרֶן הָאָטָד. וּמ"ט אִתְכָּנַת אֲבֵלוּתָא דָא לְמִצְרַיִם, דְּהָא אֵבֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מ"ט לְמִצְרַיִם.

Egypt Egyptians Famine Jacob Nile Water

816. אֶלָּא, הָכֵי אֲמָרוּ, כָּל הַהוּא זִמְנָא דַּהֲוָה יַעֲקֹב בְּמִצְרַיִם, אִתְבָּרַךְ אַרְעָא בְּגִינֵיהּ, וְנִילוּס הֲוָה נָפֵיק וְאַשְׁקֵי אַרְעָא, וְעוֹד דְּפָסַק כַּפְנָא בְּגִינֵיהּ דְּיַעֲקֹב. וְעַל דָּא, מִצְרָאֵי עֲבָדוּ אֲבֵלוּתָא, וְאִתְכַּנֵּי עֲלַיְיהוּ.

Ears Praise

817. He opened the discussion saying, "Who can utter the mighty acts (Heb. Gvurot) of Hashem? who can declare all His praise?" (Tehilim 106:2). This verse has been explained, yet why say "utter" instead of the usual "speak?" If, you say scripture is wont TO USE SYNONYMS FOR THE BEAUTY OF STYLE, it is not so. But all verses WITH SYNONYMS convey a specific meaning. Here, too, there is a specific meaning in "utter (Heb. yemalel)," as in the verse "pluck the ears (Heb. melilot)" (Devarim. 23:26), WHICH IS DERIVED FROM CUTTING AND SEVERANCE. "The Gvurot of Hashem" are numerous, since all verdicts come from thence, FROM THE GVUROT OF HASHEM, THE LEFT COLUMN. SCRIPTURE therefore SAYS, "WHO CAN UTTER GVUROT OF HASHEM," WHICH MEANS who will be able to cancel and annul one decree of the mighty acts performed by the Holy One, blessed be He.

817. פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת ה' יַשְׁמִיעַ כָּל תְּהִלָּתוֹ, הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל מַהוּ יְמַלֵּל יְדַבֵּר מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאָרְחֵיהּ דִּקְרָא הָכֵי הוּא, דְּהָא קְרָאֵי אִינוּן הָכֵי. לָא. דְּכֻלְּהוּ לְאַחֲזָאָה מִלָּה קָא אַתְיָין. אוֹף הָכָא, לְאַחֲזָאָה מִלָה קָא אַתְיָא, מִי יְמַלֵּל: כְּדִכְתִיב וְקָטַפְתָּ מְלִילוֹת. גְּבוּרוֹת ה,' בְּגִין דְּסַגִּיאִין אִינוּן, דְּהָא כָּל גְּזֵרָא דְּדִינָא, מִתַּמָּן קָא אַתְיָא, וְעַל דָּא, מַאן אִיהוּ דִּיסַלֵּק וְיַעֲבֵר גְּזֵרָה חָדָא, מֵאִינוּן גְּבוּרָאן דְּעָבֵיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

Prosecution

Nukva Praise Wisdom

819. THE MIGHTY ACTS OF HASHEM are made known through recital, which contains the secret of wisdom, AND THROUGH WISDOM THEY CAN BE KNOWN. For through utterance and speech, there is no uttering and knowing them, only through recital, as it is written, "One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare (recite) Your mighty acts" (Tehilim 145:4), through which secret they are made known; NAMELY BY RECITAL, THE SECRET OF WISDOM. But of Your Gvurah, the lower Gvurah WITHIN THE NUKVA, they shall talk, FOR IT CAN BE SPOKEN OF, as it is written, "and talk of Your Gvurah" (Ibid. 11).

819. וּבַמֶּה יְדִיעָן, כֻּלְּהוּ בְּהַגָּדָה, דְּאִית בֵּיהּ רָזָא דְחָכְמְתָא, דְּהָא בְּמִלּוּלָא וּבַאֲמִירָה לָא יָכֵיל לְמַלָּלָא לוֹן. לְמִנְדַע לוֹן, אֲבָל בְּהַגָּדָה יְדִיעָן, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, דּוֹר לְדוֹר יְשַׁבַּח מַעֲשֶׂיךָ וּגְבוּרוֹתֶיךָ יַגִּידוּ, בְּרָזָא דָא יָדְעִין, אֲבָל גְּבוּרָתֶךָ דְּהִיא גְּבוּרָה תַּתָּאָה, יְדַבֵּרוּ, דִּכְתִיב וּגְבוּרָתְךָ יְדַבֵּרוּ.

Hosts Job Judgment Praise

820. יַשְׁמִיעַ כָּל תְּהִלָּתוֹ, דְּסַגִּיאִין אִינוּן דִּינִין, דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן וּמִתְחַבְּרָן בִּתְהִלָּה, וְכַמָּה חֵילִין, וְכַמָּה מַשִּׁירְיָין דְּמִתְחַבְּרָן בָּהּ, כְּדִכְתִיב, הֲיֵשׁ מִסְפָּר לִגְדוּדָיו, וְעַל דָּא, מַאן יָכֵיל לְאִשְׁתְּמַע כָּל תְּהִלָּתוֹ.

Egyptians Grades Hosts Jacob Slavery

821. תָּא חֲזֵי, מִצְרָאֵי כֻּלְּהוּ חַכִּימִין הֲווֹ, וּמִסִּטְרָא דִגְבוּרָה קָא נָפְקֵי, כַּמָּה חֵילִין וְכַמָּה מַשִּׁירְיָין, וְכַמָּה דַרְגִּין עַל דַּרְגִּין, עַד דְּמָטוֹ לְגַבֵּי דַרְגִּין תַּתָּאִין, וּמִצְרָאֵי הֲווֹ חֳרָשִׁין וְחַכִּימִין בְּהוֹ, וְיָדְעִין סְתִימִין דְּעַלְמָא, וְאִסְתַּכָּלוּ הָא, דִּבְזִמְנָא דְיַעֲקֹב קַיַּים בְּעַלְמָא, לָא אִית עַמָּא דְּשָׁלְטָא עַל בְּנוֹי, וְיָדְעוּ דְּהָא יִשְׁתַּעְבְּדוּ בְּהוֹ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל זִמְנִין סַגִּיאִין.

Atad Egypt Egyptians Fingers Hands Jacob Plagues Punishment Red Sea Slavery Ten Threshing

822. When Jacob died they rejoiced THAT NOW THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ENSLAVE YISRAEL. They looked to see what would become of it and saw the threshing floor of Atad, the prevailing punishment, as 'Atad' has the same numerical value as 'hand,' mentioned in the verse, "And Yisrael saw that great work (lit. 'hand') which Hashem did upon Egypt" (Shemot 14:31). When they came to this place, they saw the mighty acts coming from Atad UPON THEM, NAMELY THE TEN PLAGUES OF EGYPT AND THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA. Why is it called Atad (Eng. 'thorn-bush')? As the thorns grow on both sides of the thorn-bush, so do the fingers of the hand, each containing numerous Gvurot, punishments and decrees. Hence "they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation...so that the name of it was called the mourning of the Egyptians." This was truly a grievous mourning for the Egyptians, and no one else.

822. כֵּיוָן דְמִית יַעֲקֹב חָדוֹ, אִסְתַּכָּלוּ מַה יְּהֵא בְּסוֹפָא, עַד דְּמָטוֹ לְגוֹרֶן הָאָטָד, דְּאִיהוּ גְּזֵרָא דְּדִינָא שַׁלִּיטָא, אָטָ"ד בְּגִי' יַד, כְּד"א וַיַּרְא יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַיָּד הַגְּדוֹלָה וגו,' כֵּיוָן דְּמָטוֹ לַאֲתַר דָּא, חָמוּ גְּבוּרָאן דְּנָפְקֵי מֵהַאי אָטָד. אַמַּאי אִקְרֵי אָטָד. אֶלָּא, מַה אָטָד נָפְקֵי כּוּבִין לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא, הָכֵי נָמֵי יַ"ד, נָפְקֵי מִינָהּ אֶצְבָּעָאן, לְהַאי סִטְרָא וּלְהַאי סִטְרָא, וְכָל אֶצְבָּעָא וְאֶצְבָּעָא סָלֵיק בְּכַמָּה גְּבוּרָאן, בְּכַמָּה דִינִין, וּבְכַמָּה נִמּוּסִין, כְּדֵין וַיִּסְפְּדוּ שָׁם מִסְפֵּד גָּדוֹל וְכָבֵד מְאֹד עַל כֵּן קָרָא שְׁמָהּ אָבֵל מִצְרָיִם, וַדַּאי אֵבֶל כָּבֵד זֶה לְמִצְרַיִם, וְלָא לְאָחֳרָא.

Caves Merit