Vayechi: Chapter 84

"Silver was not accounted for anything in the days of Solomon"

Synopsis

Here, the Zohar reveals the mighty power of the sun, Zeir Anpin, and its ability to transmute the dust of the world into gleaming gold. Moreover, we're told that the merciful Light of Zeir Anpin removes judgment from Malchut, thereby increasing gold. Such was the spiritual landscape during the reign of King Solomon. Because David had already perfected Malchut, Solomon's mystical power was directed at arousing wealth, love and Light. However, we learn that Solomon miscalculates the spiritual processes taking place in the Upper Worlds and rejects the Right Column energy of mercy [silver]. This action darkens the moon, allowing judgment to impact our world, hence the phrase, "Silver was not accounted for anything."

Moreover, because sacrifices are no longer offered in the temple, Judgment occurs each day of our lives. The Zohar then explains that the prayers of man can perfect the Upper and Lower World and remove the Left Column force of judgment.

Relevance

When we extend mercy to our friends and enemies, the Light of Zeir Anpin illuminates our own lives with mercy, transmuting judgments set against us into praise. When mercy is not part of our consciousness, Judgment is allowed to befall us every day. Hence, this passage awakens mercy within us, so that we may bestow it upon others. Our connection to these words helps perfect the Upper and Lower Worlds, whose union also removes judgment from own lives.

Dust Gold Job Nukva Silver Solomon Strength Sun Zeir Anpin

835. For this reason, "silver was not accounted for anything in the days of Solomon" (I Melachim 10:21), but all was made of gold, and gold increased. At that time, it says, "And he had dust of gold" (Iyov 28:6), since the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, looked upon the upper dust, THE NUKVA, and through its strength, it turned the dust into gold.

835. וְעַל דָּא אֵין כֶּסֶף נֶחְשַׁב בִּימֵי שְׁלֹֹמֹה. אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא דְהַב, דְּאִתְרַבֵּי דְּהַב, וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא כְּתִיב, וְעַפְרוֹת זָהָב לוֹ, דְּהָא עָפָר דִּלְעֵילָא, הֲוָה מִסְתַּכֵּל בֵּיהּ שִׁמְשָׁא, וּבְאִסְתַּכְּלוּתָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא וְתוֹקְפֵיהּ, עַפְרָא עָבֵיד וְאַסְגֵּי דְהַב.

Dust Earth Gold Living Creatures Mountains Sun

836. Come and see, where the dust of the earth turns into gold on the mountains, where the sunlight is strong everything turns into gold. And were it not for the wild animals which roamed there, people would not have been poor, because the power of the sun increases gold.

836. תָּא חֲזֵי, מִטּוּרֵי דִּנְהִירוּ, דְּתוֹקְפָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא תַּמָּן, עַפְרָא דְּאַרְעָא בֵּינֵי טוּרֵי, כֻּלְּהוּ עָבְדֵי דְהַב, וְאִלְמָלֵא חֵיוָון בִּישִׁין דִּרְבִיאוּ תַּמָּן, בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לָא הֲווֹ מִסְכְּנֵי, בְּגִין דְּתוֹקְפָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא אַסְגֵּי דְהַב.

Chassadim Dust Gold Judgment Silver Solomon Strength Sun Zeir Anpin

837. Hence in the days of Solomon, "silver was not accounted for anything," for the strength of the sun was upon the dust and turned it into gold. Also, the dust is of the side of Judgment, WHICH IS LEFT WITHOUT RIGHT, NOT ILLUMINATING, and when the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, looked upon it, NAMELY POURED CHASSADIM UPON IT, it removed the strength OF JUDGMENT FROM IT, and gold increased. When Solomon saw this, he praised it by saying, "All was of the dust" (Kohelet 3:20).

837. בְּג"כ, בְּיוֹמוֹי דִשְׁלֹמֹה, אֵין כֶּסֶף נֶחְשַׁב לִמְאוּמָה, דְּהָא תַּקִּיפָא דְשִׁמְשָׁא אִסְתַּכַּל בְּעַפְרָא, וְאַסְגֵּי לֵיהּ דְּהַב. וְעוֹד דְּהַהוּא עַפְרָא סִטְרָא דְּדִינָא אִיהוּ, כַּד אִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ שִׁמְשָׁא, נָטַל תּוֹקְפָא וְאִתְרַבֵּי דַּהֲבָא. כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתַּכַּל שְׁלֹֹמֹה בָּהּ, שַׁבַּח וְאַכְרֵיז וַאֲמַר, הַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר וגו.'

David Light Love Matron Nukva Singing Solomon Throne

838. Hence Solomon had no need of playing like David, SINCE THE NUKVA WAS ALREADY MADE PERFECT, but he sang SHIR HASHIRIM, which is love and wealth, light and love, for all the songs of the world were in SOLOMON'S SONG, who recited the song of the Matron, the NUKVA, when she sat upon her throne facing the King.

838. וְע"ד שְׁלֹמֹה לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְנַגְנָא כְּדָוִד, אֶלָּא שִׁירָתָא דְּאִיהוּ רְחִימֵי דְעוֹתְרָא, דְּהוּא נְהִירוּ וּרְחִימוּ דְּכָל תּוּשְׁבְּחָן דְּעַלְמָא בֵּיהּ הֲווֹ, תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא כַּד יָתְבָא בְּכָרְסְיָיא לְקִבְלֵיהּ דְּמַלְכָּא קָאֲמַר.

Dust Gold Hands Head Jerusalem Love Nukva Silver Stones Sun Zeir Anpin

839. It is written, "And the King made silver to be in Jerusalem like stones" (I Melachim 10:27). Because all was made of gold and the dust, THE NUKVA, was linked to the left on the side of love, NAMELY LOVER'S LOVE, THE LOVE OF THE LEFT, as it is written, "His left hand is under my head" (Shir Hashirim 2:6), the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, cleaved to her, and did not part.

839. כְּתִיב וַיִּתֵּן הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף בִּירוּשָׁלִַם כַּאֲבָנִים, בְּגִין דְכֹלָּא הֲוָה דְהַב, וְעַפְרָא אִתְקַשַּׁר בִּשְּׂמָאלָא, בְּסִטְרָא דִרְחִימוּ, כְּד"א שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי, וְשִׁמְשָׁא אִתְדַּבַּק בַּהֲדָהּ, וְלָא אִתְעֲדֵי מִינָהּ.

Astrology Chassadim Head Moon Nukva Silver Solomon Sun Zeir Anpin

840. Solomon made a mistake when he saw the moon attached to the sun, the right OF ZEIR ANPIN embracing her WITH CHASSADIM and the left OF ZEIR ANPIN under her head WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. THE LEFT BECAME HER HEAD. As RIGHT AND LEFT were attached to each other, AND CHOCHMAH ON THE LEFT WAS ALREADY CLOTHED WITH THE RIGHT, he said, Now that they are linked together, what need is there for the right seeing that the function of the right, CHASSADIM, was to draw near ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA, SO THAT CHOCHMAH WITHIN THE NUKVA SHALL BE CLOTHED IN CHASSADIM OF ZEIR ANPIN? Now that they are together, there is no more need OF THE RIGHT, CHASSADIM. Straightaway "silver was not accounted for anything," FOR HE REJECTED THE SILVER, WHICH IS RIGHT, AS EXPLAINED.

840. שְׁלֹמֹה טָעָה בְּהַאי, דְּהָא חָמָא דְּאִתְקְרֵיב סִיהֲרָא בְּשִׁמְשָׁא, וִימִינָא מְחַבְּקָא, וּשְׂמָאלָא תְּחוֹת רֵישָׁא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְקְרִיבוּ דָּא בְּדָא, אֲמַר הָא אִתְקְרִיבוּ כַּחֲדָא, יְמִינָא מַה הָכָא, דְּהָא יְמִינָא לָאו אִיהוּ אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְקָרְבָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְקְרִיבוּ דָּא בְּדָא לְמַאי אִצְטְרִיךְ, מִיָּד אֵין כֶּסֶף נֶחְשַׁב בִּימֵי שְׁלֹמֹה.

Astrology Moon Silver Solomon Sun Zeir Anpin

841. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: 'You have rejected the right, WHICH IS CHESED. Upon your life, you shall yet need kindness (Chesed) from people, but you shall not be offered any.' Immediately the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, declined from opposite the moon, THE NUKVA, and she began to darken. Solomon went begging, saying 'I am Kohelet,' but none did any kindness by him. Why? Because he rejected the right, CHESED, and did not consider it, as it says, "Silver was not accounted for anything in the days of Solomon."

841. א"ל קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַנְתְּ דָּחֵית יְמִינָא, חַיָּיךְ, אַנְתְּ תִּצְטָרֵךְ לְחֶסֶד בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וְלָא תִשְׁכַּח. מִיָּד סָטָא שִׁמְשָׁא מִלְּקַבֵּל סִיהֲרָא, וְסִיהֲרָא שַׁרְיָא לְאִתְחַשְּׁכָא, וַהֲוָה שְׁלֹמֹה מְהַדַּר עַל פִּתְחִין, וַאֲמַר, אֲנִי קֹהֶלֶת, וְלָא הֲוָה מַאן דְּיַעֲבֵד עִמֵּיהּ חֶסֶד, מ"ט, בְּגִין דְּדָחָה יְמִינָא, וְלָא חָשֵׁיב לֵיהּ, הה"ד, אֵין כֶּסֶף נֶחְשַׁב בִּימֵי שְׁלֹמֹה לִמְאוּמָה.

Job Lion Peace

842. Hence, the more one praises the Holy One, blessed be He, THE RIGHT, peace abounds above. SCRIPTURE therefore SAYS, "Hearken Laysha," WHICH IS THE NUKVA WHEN SEPARATED FROM THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, THE RIGHT. It is written, "The old lion (Heb. layish) perishes for lack of prey" (Iyov 4:11). Laysha is the feminine of layish, as chok (Eng. 'law') and chukat (Eng. 'ordinance'). THEY HAVE THE SAME MEANING, AS DO LAYISH AND LAYSHA. "Perishes (Heb. oved):" As in "who were lost (Heb. ovdim)" (Yeshayah 27:13), MEANS THAT IT IS LOST. "For lack of prey," since THE NUKVA demands FROM ZEIR ANPIN to give Her, as it says, "She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food (prey) to her household" (Mishlei 31:15).

842. וְע"ד, כָּל דְּאַסְגֵּי תּוּשְׁבְּחָן לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אַסְגֵּי שְׁלָמָא לְעֵילָא, בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ הַקְשִׁיבִי לַיְשָׁה. כְּתִיב לַיִּשׁ אוֹבֵד מִבְּלִי טֶרֶף וגו,' לַיִּשׁ הַיְינוּ לַיְשָׁה, כְּדִכְתִיב, חָק חֻקָּה. אוֹבֵד: כְּדִכְתִיב, וּבָאוּ הָאוֹבְדִים. מִבְּלִי טָרֶף: בְּגִין, דְּאִיהִי תָּבְעָה עָלֶיהָ לְמֵיהַב, כְּדִכְתִיב, וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ.

Angels Exile Job Judgment Lion Sacrifice

843. "And the lion's whelps are scattered abroad" (Iyov 4:11), for all the armies, NAMELY THE ANGELS WHO ISSUE FROM HER, come together as one when She gives them prey and feed together. But when She has no prey, on account of the exile, "the lion's whelps are scattered abroad" and Her armies go different ways and roads to find a place to execute judgments. So, when sacrifices are offered, everybody is in order, and they come together like we said. Now, IN TIME OF EXILE, when sacrifice is not offered, surely "the lion's whelps are scattered abroad." Therefore, not a day passes without judgment, since the upper and lower are not (is this right?) aroused by supreme perfection.

843. וּבְנֵי לָבִיא יִתְפָּרָדוּ. בְּגִין, דְּכֻלְּהוּ חַיָילִין, כַּד אִיהִי יְהִיבַת, לְהוֹן טֶרֶף, כֻּלְּהוּ מִתְחַבְּרָן כְּחַד, וְיָנְקִין כְּחַד. וְכַד אִיהִי יָתְבָא מִבְּלִי טֶרֶף, דְּגָרַם גָּלוּתָא, וַדַּאי בְּנֵי לָבִיא יִתְפָּרָדוּ, מִתְפָּרְשָׁן כֻּלְּהוּ, לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין וְאָרְחִין, בְּגִין לְאַשְׁכָּחָא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא. וְע"ד, בְּזִמְנָא דְקָרְבָּנָא אִתְעֲבֵיד, כֹּלָּא מִתְתַּקְנָן, וּמִתְקַרְבִין כַּחֲדָא, כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן, הַשְׁתָּא דְּקָרְבָּנָא לֹא אִתְעֲבֵיד, וַדַּאי בְּנֵי לָבִיא יִתְפָּרָדוּ, וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ, לֵית לָן יוֹם דְּלָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח בֵּיהּ דִּינָא, דְּהָא לָא מִתְעָרִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין בִּשְׁלִימוּ עִלָּאָה כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן.

Blessing Exile Prayer Samuel

844. Come and see, NOW IN THE TIME OF EXILE man's prayer causes perfection above and below, and the upper and lower are blessed by the blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He. Hence, Yisrael's prayer causes the worlds to be blessed. Whoever blesses the Holy One, blessed be He, shall be blessed, and whoever does not bless the Holy One, blessed be He, is not blessed, as it is written, "For them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed" (I Shmuel 2:30).

844. תָּא חֲזֵי, הַשְׁתָּא צְלוֹתָא דְּב"נ, אִתְעַר שְׁלִימוּ, לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, וּבְבִרְכָתָא דְּבָרֵיךְ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מִתְבָּרְכִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין. וְע"ד בִּצְלוֹתָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִתְבָּרְכָאן עָלְמִין. מַאן דִּמְבָרֵךְ לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יִתְבָּרַךְ. מַאן דְּלָא בָּרֵיךְ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא יִתְבָּרַךְ. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כִּי מְכַבְּדַי אֲכַבֵּד וּבוֹזַי יֵקָלוּ.

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