Vayechi
Ass (Donkey) Ground Horses Issachar Lion Living Creatures Torah

681. "Issachar is a strong donkey couching down between the sheepfolds (is this what is meant?)" (Beresheet 49:14) Rabbi Elazar said, Why is Issachar called a donkey? If it is because he studied the Torah, he should be called a horse, a lion or a leopard. Why a donkey? Because it is known that a donkey would bear any burden without kicking his master like other animals. It is not fastidious and would lie anywhere. Issachar too is occupied with the Torah, accepts the burden of the Torah and does not kick the Holy One, blessed be He. He is not haughty and, like the donkey, does not care for his honor, but for the honor of his Master. He is "couching down between the sheepfolds" as we said, that one should lie on the ground, live a life of privation and labor for the Torah.

681. יִשָּׂשכָר חֲמוֹר גָּרֶם רוֹבֵץ בֵּין הַמִּשְׁפְּתָיִם. אֲמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְכִי יִשָּׂשכָר חֲמוֹר אִקְרֵי. אִי בְּגִין דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, נִקְרְיֵיהּ לֵיהּ סוּס אוֹ אַרְיֵהּ, אוֹ נָמֵר, אַמַּאי חֲמוֹר. אֶלָּא אֲמָרוּ, בְּגִין דַּחֲמוֹר נָטֵיל מָטוֹלָא, וְלָא בָּעֵיט בְּמָארֵיהּ כִּשְׁאָר בְּעִירֵי, וְלָא אִית בֵּיהּ גַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ, וְלָא חַיֵּישׁ לְמִשְׁכַּב בַּאֲתַר מִתְתַּקַּן. אוֹף הָכֵי יִשָּׂשכָר, דְּאִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, נָטֵיל מָטוֹלָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא בָּעֵיט בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא אִית בֵּיהּ גַּסּוּת הָרוּחַ, כַּחֲמוֹר, דְּלָא חָיֵישׁ לִיקָרָא דִילֵיהּ, אֶלָּא לִיקָרָא דְמָרֵיהּ. רוֹבֵץ בֵּין הַמִּשְׁפְּתָיִם, כִּדְאַמְרִינָן וְעַל הָאָרֶץ תִּישַׁן, וְחַיֵּי צַעַר תִּחְיֶה, וּבַתּוֹרָה אַתָּה עָמֵל.

Abyss Ass (Donkey) David Demons Fear Issachar Light Redemption and Salvation Torah

682. Another explanation for "Issachar is a strong donkey:" He opened the discussion saying, "To David. Hashem is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Hashem is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" (Tehilim 27:1). How dear are the words of the Torah, how beloved those who study the Torah before the Holy One, blessed be He. He who studies the Torah need not be afraid of the fiends in the world, for he is protected above and protected below. Moreover, he subdues the demons in the world and pushes them down into the great abyss.

682. ד"א יִשָּׂשכָר חֲמוֹר גָּרֶם רוֹבֵץ וגו.' פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, לְדָוִד ה' אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי מִמִּי אִירָא יי' מָעוֹז חַיַּי מִמִּי אֶפְחָד, כַּמָּה חֲבִיבִין אִינוּן מִלִּין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כַּמָּה חֲבִיבִין אִינוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לָא דָחֵיל מִפִּגְעֵי עַלְמָא, נָטֵיר הוּא לְעֵילָא, נָטֵיר הוּא לְתַתָּא. וְלָא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּכָפֵית לְכָל פְּגִיעֵי דְעַלְמָא, וְאָחֵית לוֹן לְעוֹמְקֵי דִתְהוֹמָא רַבָּא.

Dogs Gates Midnight North Righteous Soul, The Wind

683. Come and see, when night falls, the UPPER gates are closed, and dogs and donkeys dwell and roam about the world. Permission is given to the fiends to destroy, and the inhabitants of the world sleep in their beds. The souls of the righteous ascend to take pleasure above. When the north wind stirs at midnight, there is holy awakening in the world, as has been explained in several places.

683. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא, פָּתְחִין סְתִימִין, וְכַלְבֵּי וַחֲמָרֵי שַׁרְיָין וְשָׁטָאן בְּעַלְמָא, וְאִתְיְיהִיבַת רְשׁוּ לְחַבָּלָא, וְכָל בְּנֵי עַלְמָא נַיְימֵי בְּעַרְסַיְיהוּ, וְנִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא סָלְקִין לְאִתְעֲנָגָא לְעֵילָא. כַּד אִתְעַר רוּחַ צָפוֹן, וְאִתְפְּלֵיג לֵילְיָא, אִתְעֲרוּתָא קַדִּישָׁא אִתְעַר בְּעַלְמָא, וְאִתְּמָר בְּכַמָּה דוּכְתֵּי.

Abyss Ass (Donkey) Demons Evil Ground Torah

684. Happy is the portion of the man who rises from his bed at that time, to study the Torah. When he studies the Torah, he puts all the evil demons into the holes of the great abyss and subdues THE KLIPAH OF the donkey and brings it down into the holes underneath the ground, into the filth of the refuse and the dung.

684. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא ב"נ, דְּאִיהוּ קָאֵים בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא, וְאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִיהוּ פְּתַח בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כָּל אִינוּן זִינִין בִּישִׁין אָעֵיל לוֹן בְּנוּקְבֵי דִתְהוֹמָא רַבָּה, וְכָפֵית לֵיהּ לַחֲמוֹר, וְנָחֵית לֵיהּ בְּטַפְסְרֵי דִּתְחוֹת עַפְרָא, דְּזוּהֲמֵי קִסְרָא.

Ass (Donkey) Ground Issachar Torah

685. Hence Issachar, who studied the Torah, subdued THE KLIPAH OF the donkey, and brought it down. THE DONKEY, who climbed the stairs (Heb. gerem) in order to harm the world, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "A STRONG (HEB. GAREM) DONKEY," was NOW brought into its place between the sheepfolds, NAMELY AMONG THE REFUSE, the filth of the holes in the ground. THE VERSE TEACHES US THAT ISSACHAR, BY STUDYING THE TORAH, BROUGHT DOWN THE KLIPAH OF THE STRONG DONKEY AND CAUSED HIM TO COUCH DOWN BETWEEN THE SHEEPFOLDS, BY CASTING HIM DOWN INTO THE HOLES IN THE GROUND, AMONG THE REFUSE.

685. בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ, יִשָּׂשכָר, דְּאִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתֵיהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כָּפֵית לֵיהּ לַחֲמוֹר, וְנָחֵית לֵיהּ. מֵהַהוּא גְרַם הַמַּעֲלוֹת, דְּאִיהוּ סָלֵיק לְנִזְקָא עַלְמָא, וְשַׁוֵּי מָדוֹרֵיהּ בֵּין הַמִּשְׁפְּתָיִם, בֵּין זוּהֲמֵי דְטַפְסְרֵי דְעַפְרָא.

Oral Law Torah Written Law

686. Come and behold, It is written, "And he saw that rest was good and the land that it was pleasant and became a servant to tribute" (Beresheet 49:15). "And he saw that rest was good" is the Written Law; while "and the land that it was pleasant" is the Oral Law. "And he bowed his shoulder to bear" the yoke of the Torah, and cleave to it days and nights, "and became a servant to tribute" to serve the Holy One, blessed be He, and cling to Him, thus weakening himself for it, BY STUDYING THE TORAH CONSTANTLY.

686. תָּא חֲזֵי , מַה כְּתִיב, וַיַּרְא מְנוּחָה כִּי טוֹב וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כִּי נָעֵמָה וַיֵּט שִׁכְמוֹ לִסְבּוֹל וַיְהִי לְמַס עוֹבֵד. וַיַּרְא מְנוּחָה כִּי טוֹב, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָב. וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ כִּי נָעֵמָה, דָּא תּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּע"פ. וַיֵּט שִׁכְמוֹ לִסְבּוֹל, לְמִסְבַּל עוּלָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּלְדָבְקָא בָּהּ יוֹמֵי וְלֵילֵי. וַיְהִי לְמַס עוֹבֵד, לְמֶהֱוֵי פְּלַח לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּלְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בֵּיהּ, וּלְאַתָּשָׁא גַרְמֵיהּ בָּהּ.

Evil Issachar Samuel Suffering Torah

687. Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Chiya were walking from the upper Galilee to Tiberias. Rabbi Shimon said, Let us discourse upon the Torah as we walk, for whoever can study the Torah but does not do so, risks his life and suffers besides from worldly cares, and evil oppression OF THE GOVERNMENT, like it is said of Issachar, "And he bowed his shoulder to bear." What is the meaning of "bowed (also: 'turned aside')?" It means he turned aside, as it says, "But turned aside after unjust gain" (I Shmuel 8:3); NAMELY TURNED ASIDE FROM THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. For whoever turns aside and prefers not to suffer the yoke of the Torah, he forthwith "became a servant to tribute," WHICH MEANS HE SANK UNDER THE BURDEN OF THE LAW AND THE OPPRESSION OF THE GOVERNMENT.

687. ר"ש וְר' יוֹסֵי וְר' חִיָּיא, הֲווֹ קָא אָזְלֵי מִגָּלִילָא עִלָּאָה לִטְבֶרְיָה, אר"ש, נֵיהַךְ וְנִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּיָדַע לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלָא אִשְׁתַּדַּל, אִתְחַיֵּיב בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ. וְלָא עוֹד אֶלָּא דְּיַהֲבִין לֵיהּ עוּלָא דְאַרְעָא, וְשִׁעְבּוּדָא בִּישָׁא, דִּכְתִיב בְּיִשָּׂשכָר, וַיֵּט שִׁכְמוֹ לִסְבּוֹל, מַהוּ וַיֵּט, סָטָא. כְּד"א וַיַּטּוּ אַחֲרֵי הַבָּצַע. מַאן דְּסָטָא אָרְחֵיהּ וְגַרְמֵיהּ, דְּלָא לְמִסְבַּל עוּלָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, מִיָּד וַיְהִי לְמַס עוֹבֵד.

Flow Issachar Love Substance (Yesh) Torah Water World to Come, The Yesh (Substance)

688. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "That I may cause those who love Me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures" (Mishlei 8:21). Happy are the children of the world who study the Torah, for whoever is occupied with the Torah is beloved above and beloved below. He inherits the World to Come, as it is written, "That I may cause those who love Me to inherit substance." The substance is the World to Come, BINAH, whose water, ITS ABUNDANCE, never stops flowing. FOR HE WHO STUDIES THE TORAH receives supernal reward, which no other man attains. What is it? It is substance (Heb. yesh), BINAH. This is alluded to by the name Issachar, who studied the Torah, SINCE HIS NAME CONTAINS THE SYLABLES Yesh sachar (lit. 'there is a reward'), the reward for those who study the Torah; NAMELY, Yesh, AS MENTIONED.

688. פְּתַח ר"ש וַאֲמַר, לְהַנְחִיל אוֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ וְאוֹצְרוֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן בְּנֵי עַלְמָא, אִינוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִתְרְחֵים לְעֵילָא, וְאִתְרְחֵים לְתַתָּא, וְאַחְסֵין בְּכָל יוֹמָא, יְרוּתָא דְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, הה"ד, לְהַנְחִיל אוֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ. מַאי יֵשׁ. דָּא עַלְמָא דְאָתֵי דְלָא פָּסַק מֵימוֹי לְעָלְמִין, וְנָטַל אֲגַר טַב עִלָּאָה, דְּלָא זָכֵי בֵּיהּ ב"נ אָחֳרָא, וּמַאי אִיהוּ. יֵ"שׁ. וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ, רָמֵיז לָן שְׁמָא דְיִשָּׂשכָר דְּאִשְׁתַּדַּל בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, יֵשׁ שָׂכָר. דָּא הוּא אַגְרָא דְּאִינוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, י"ש.

Ancient of Days (Atik Yomin) Daniel David Earth Heaven Jacob Jerusalem Jerusalem, Terrestrial Nukva Temple, The Throne Torah Zeir Anpin

689. It is written, "As I looked, thrones were placed, and an ancient of days did sit" (Daniel 7:9), WHICH MEANS THAT when the Temple was ruined, two thrones fell, for there are two thrones above and two below. HE EXPLAINS, There are two thrones above, THE THRONE OF JACOB, ZEIR ANPIN, AND THE THRONE OF DAVID, MALCHUT. When the lower throne was removed from the upper throne, the throne of Jacob from that of David, the latter fell. Hence it says, "And cast down from heaven (to) earth" (Eichah 2:1). The two thrones below, Jerusalem and the students of the Torah, resemble the thrones above, for the students of the Torah are the throne of Jacob, ZEIR ANPIN, and Jerusalem is the throne of David, MALCHUT. HENCE, TWO THRONES FELL: THE UPPER THRONE OF DAVID, THE NUKVA, AND THE THRONE OF THE TERRESTRIAL JERUSALEM. It is therefore written, "Thrones were placed" IN THE PLURAL instead of 'throne' IN THE SINGULAR, for more than one throne fell, for the sole reason of the insult to the Torah.

689. כְּתִיב חָזֵה הֲוֵית עַד דִּי כָרְסָוָון רְמִיו וְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין יְתִיב וגו' חָזֵה הֲוֵית עַד דִּי כָרְסָוָון רְמִיו, כַּד אִתְחָרַב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, תְּרֵי כָּרְסָוָון נָפְלוּ, תְּרֵי לְעֵילָא, תְּרֵי לְתַתָּא. תְּרֵי לְעֵילָא, בְּגִין דְּאִתְרְחֵיקַת תַּתָּאָה מֵעִלָּאָה, כָּרְסְיָיא דְיַעֲקֹב אִתְרְחֵיקַת מִכָּרְסְיָיא דְּדָוִד. וְכָרְסְיָיא דְּדָוִד נָפְלַת, הה"ד הִשְׁלִיךְ מִשָּׁמַיִם אֶרֶץ. תְּרֵי כָּרְסָוָון לְתַתָּא: יְרוּשָׁלִַם, וְאִינוּן מָארֵי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא. וְכָרְסָוָון דִּלְתַתָּא כְּגַוְונָא דְּכָרְסָוָון דִּלְעֵילָא, מָרֵיהוֹן דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא הַיְינוּ כָּרְסְיָיא דְיַעֲקֹב. יְרוּשָׁלִַם הַיְינוּ כָּרְסְיָיא דְדָוִד, וְעַל דָא כְּתִיב, עַד דִּי כָּרְסָוָון, וְלָא כָּרְסְיָא. כָּרְסָוָון סַגִּיאִין נָפְלוּ, וְכֻלְּהוּ לָא נָפְלוּ, אֶלָּא מֵעֶלְבּוֹנָהּ דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא.

Ass (Donkey) Exile Hands Issachar Righteous Torah

690. Come and see, when the truly righteous study the Torah, all the forces of the other nations and the armies, with all their power and legions, are subdued and no longer rule the world. The Children of Yisrael are appointed BY THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD, MEANING, THEY ARE ASKED BY THEM to be their leaders. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE NAME ISSACHAR, YESH-SACHAR AS EXPLAINED. But if not, THE KLIPAH OF the donkey causes Yisrael to go into exile and fall into the hands of the peoples and be ruled by them. And all this is because, "he saw rest that it was good," HE SAW THAT THE TORAH IS GOOD AND ready before him, and he could receive as his reward her benefits and comforts, yet he turned his way so as not to bear the burden of the Torah, and therefore "became a servant to tribute" IN EXILE.

690. תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד אִינוּן זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כָּל אִינוּן תּוֹקְפִין דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין, דִּשְׁאָר חֵילִין, וְכָל חֵילִין דִּלְהוֹן, אִתְכַּפְיָין, וְלָא שָׁלְטֵי בְּעַלְמָא, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִזְדַּמַּן עֲלַיְיהוּ לְסַלְקָא לוֹן עַל כֹּלָּא, וְאִי לָא, חֲמוֹר גָּרְמָא לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְמֵיהַךְ בְּגָלוּתָא, וּלְמִנְפַּל בֵּינֵי עַמְּמַיָא, וּלְמִשְׁלַט עֲלַיְיהוּ. וְכָל דָּא אַמַּאי, בְּגִין וַיַּרְא מְנוּחָה כִּי טוֹב, וּמִתַּקְנָא קַמֵּיהּ, וְיָכֵיל לְמִרְוַוח בְּגִינָהּ כַּמָּה טָבִין וְכַמָּה כִּסּוּפִין, וְסָטָא אוֹרְחֵיהּ דְּלָא לְמִסְבַּל עוּלָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּג"כ וַיְהִי לְמַס עוֹבֵד.