"And the Satan standing at his right to prosecute him"

Synopsis

The negative angel, Satan, stands on the right side of the High Priest Joshua, who has just been thrown into a pit of fire. Kabbalistically, the right side signifies the attribute of mercy, and fire signifies the concept of severe judgment. In this story, the angel Satan tells the Creator that if He is going to show mercy upon Joshua, then He should be obligated to save all the people who were with Joshua, even though they are unworthy. In other words, Satan is cleverly implying that the Creator cannot possibly save Joshua because of these special circumstances. Nonetheless, the Creator emancipates Joshua. The spiritual lesson of this story is as follows, During a time of intense judgment, the righteous can still be saved amidst all the upheaval and destruction. According to the Kabbalah, another example of the Creator performing the difficult task of concurrently emitting the forces of mercy and judgment, was during the splitting of the Red Sea, when the Israelites crossed over to safety while the Egyptians were drowning.

Relevance

Both wicked and righteous people dwell among us and their behavioral actions have a corresponding effect on the state of the world. By mending our own ways and choosing the path of spirituality, we are securely connected, by this section, to the Creator's attributes of mercy during times of severe judgment.

Angels Joshua Priests Righteous Sarah Satan, The Soul, The Yehotzedek

367. "And Hashem visited Sarah as He had said..." (Beresheet 21:1) Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, "And he showed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the angel of Hashem, and the Satan standing at his right to prosecute him" (Zecharyah 3:1). This passage should be studied carefully. "And he showed me Joshua the High Priest" refers to Joshua, the son of Yehotzadak. In the phrase, "standing before the angel of Hashem," who is the "angel of Hashem?" It is the region THAT IS CALLED the Bundle,' TO WHICH the souls of the righteous are attached. And all the souls of the righteous are there. This is the "angel of Hashem," WHICH IS MENTIONED IN THE VERSE.

367. וַיי' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר וגו'. רַבִּי חִיָּיא, פָּתַח וַאֲמַר, וַיַּרְאֵנִי אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי מַלְאַךְ יי' וְהַשָּׂטָן עוֹמֵד עַל יְמִינוֹ לְשִׂטְנוֹ. הַאי קְרָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בֵּיהּ. וַיַּרְאֵנִי אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל, דָּא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק. עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי מַלְאַךְ יי', מַאן מַלְאַךְ יי'. דָּא אֲתַר צְרוֹרָא דְּנִשְׁמָתֵיהּ דְּצַדִּיק צְרִירָא בֵּיהּ, וְכָל אִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּצַדִּיקַיָא קָיְימִין תַּמָּן, וְדָא הוּא מַלְאַךְ יי'.

Evil Evil Inclination Fire Joshua Nebuchadnezzar Priests Prophets Satan, The Soul, The

368. וְהַשָּׂטָן עוֹמֵד עַל יְמִינוֹ לְשִׂטְנוֹ. דָּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, דְּאִיהוּ מְשׁוֹטֵט וְאָזֵיל בְּעָלְמָא, לְנַטְלָא נִשְׁמָתִין, וּלְאַפָּקָא רוּחִין, וּלְמִסְטֵי לוֹן לִבְרִיָּיתָא, לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא. וְדָא הוּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּאֲטֵיל לֵיהּ נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר לְאֶשָׁא, עִם אִינוּן נְבִיאֵי הַשֶּׁקֶר, וְהַאי הֲוָה מַסְטִין לְעֵילָא, בְּגִין דְּיִתּוֹקַד עִמְּהוֹן.

Angels Judgment Punishment Righteous Satan, The Wicked Wickedness

369. This is the way OF THE SATAN, who shows his indictment at the hour of danger or when the world is in distress. At those times, he is allowed to prosecute and punish, even without justice, as it is written, "But sometimes ruin comes for want of judgment" (Mishlei 13:23). What is meant by "to prosecute him"? IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT DID HE ACCUSE HIM OF? He was asking that they all be saved or all be burned. When the Angel of Destruction is granted permission to destroy, the righteous are in as much danger as the wicked.

369. דְּהָכֵי הוּא אוֹרְחוֹי, דְּלָאו אִיהוּ מְקַטְרֵג, אֶלָּא בְּזִמְנָא דְּסַכָּנָה וּבְזִמְנָא דְּצַעֲרָא שָׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ, לְמִסְטֵי וּלְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּלָא דִינָא, כְּדָבָר אֲחֵר וְיֵשׁ נִסְפָּה בְּלֹא מִשְׁפָּט. מַהוּ לְשִׂטְנוֹ, דַּהֲוָה אָמֵר, אוֹ כֻּלְהוּ יִשְׁתֵּזְבוּן, אוֹ כֻּלְהוּ יִתּוֹקְדוּן. דְּהָא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְיְיהֵיב רְשׁוּתָא לִמְחַבְּלָא לְחַבָּלָא, לָא אִשְׁתְּזֵיב זַכָּאָה מִן חַיָּיבַיָא.

Angels Hands Joshua Judgment Kolyah Maassiyah Miracle Priests Righteous Satan, The Wicked Wickedness Zedekiah

370. Therefore, when Judgment hangs over a city, a man should flee before he is captured there AND FALLS INTO THE HANDS OF THE DESTROYER. Once the Angel of Destruction resides IN A PLACE, he treats the righteous the same as the wicked. All the more so, as all three of them were together. THIS REFERS TO JOSHUA, THE HIGH PRIEST, AND THE OTHER TWO FALSE PROPHETS - AHAB, THE SON OF KOLYAH, AND TZIDKIYAHU, THE SON OF MA'ASSIYAH. THE SATAN demanded that all be burned or all be saved, because if a miracle is to occur, there cannot be half a miracle. It must be the same for all - either miracle or Judgment.

370. וּבְגִין כָּךְ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּדִינָא שָׁרְיָיא בְּמָתָא, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְעָרְקָא, עַד לָא אִתְפַּס תַּמָּן, דְּהָא מְחַבְּלָא כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁרֵי, הָכֵי נָמֵי עָבֵיד לְזַכָּאָה כְּחַיָּיבָא. וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן דַּהֲווֹ תְּלָתֵיהוֹן כְּחַד, וַהֲוָה תָּבַע דְּיִתּוֹקְדוּן כֻּלְהוּ, אוֹ יִשְׁתֵּזְבוּן כֻּלְהוּ. בְּגִין דְּכַד אִתְעֲבֵיד נִיסָא, לָא אִתְעֲבֵיד פַּלְגוֹ נִיסָא, וּפַלְגוֹ דִּינָא, אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא, אוֹ נִיסָא אוֹ דִּינָא.

Egyptians Judgment Miracle Seas Waters

371. אֲמַר לוֹ ר' יוֹסֵי, וְלָא, וְהָא בְּזִמְנָא דְּבָקַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יַמָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲוָה קָרַע יַמָּא לְאִלֵּין, וְאָזְלִין בְּיַבֶּשְׁתָּא, וּמַיָּיא הֲווֹ תָּבִין מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא, וְטָבְעִין לְאִלֵּין, וּמֵתִין, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח נִיסָא הָכָא, וְדִינָא הָכָא כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא.

Heaven House Judgment Miracle Red Sea Seas

372. He said to him, This is why THE SPLITTING OF THE RED SEA was so difficult for Him. When the Holy One, blessed be He, simultaneously performs a miracle and executes His Judgment, it does not usually happen in the same place, nor even in the same house. If it occurs IN THE SAME PLACE, AS HAPPENED AT THE RED SEA, then it is difficult for Him. In Heaven, everything is done to perfection. EVERYTHING IS as one and at one place - either a miracle or doom, but not usually half and half, HALF MIRACLE AND HALF DOOM.

372. אָמַר לוֹ, וְדָא הוּא דְּקַשְׁיָא קַמֵּיהּ, דְּכַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבֵיד דִּינָא וְנִיסָא כַּחֲדָא, לָאו בַּאֲתַר חָד, וְלָא בְּבֵיתָא חָדָא, וְאִי אִתְעֲבֵיד, קַשְׁיָא קַמֵּיהּ, דְּהָא לְעֵילָא, לָא אִתְעֲבֵיד כֹּלָּא, אֶלָּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ כַּחֲדָא, אוֹ נִיסָא, אוֹ דִּינָא בַּאֲתַר חָד, וְלָא בְּפַלְגוּ.

Amorites Angels Joshua Miracle Punishment Satan, The Sin

373. This is why the Holy One, blessed be He, does not punish the guilty until they have all filled their measure of sin. THIS WAY, HE DOES NOT HAVE TO SAVE ANY OF THEM FROM PUNISHMENT. As it is written, "for the iniquity of the Emorites is not yet full" (Beresheet 15:16), and "You should punish it in exact measure" (Yeshayah 27:8). Therefore, THE SATAN demanded that Joshua be burned together with the rest, SO THERE WOULD NOT BE HALF MIRACLE ANDHALF DOOM, until he said to him, "May Hashem rebuke you, Satan" (Zecharyah 3:2). AND HE ASKS, Who said to him, "May HASHEM REBUKE YOU, SATAN?" AND HE REPLIES, It was the Angel of Hashem WHO SAID SO.

373. בְּגִין כָּךְ, לָא עֲבֵיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּינָא בְּחַיָּיבַיָא, עַד דְּאִשְׁתַּלִּימוּ בְּחוֹבַיְיהוּ הה"ד כִּי לֹא שָׁלֵם עֲוֹן הָאֱמֹרִי עַד הֵנָּה. וּכְתִיב בְּסַאסְאָה בְּשַׁלְחָהּ תְּרִיבֶנָּה. וְעַל דָּא, הֲוָה אַסְטִין לֵיהּ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, דְּיִתּוֹקַד בְּהוֹ, עַד דַּאֲמַר לֵיהּ, יִגְעַר יי' בְּךָ הַשָּׂטָן. מַאן אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דָּא, מַלְאַךְ יי'.

Angels Bush Fire Flame Moses Satan, The

374. You may say that since IT IS WRITTEN, "And Hashem said to the Satan, Hashem rebuke you, Satan," THEREFORE IT IS HASHEM WHO SAYS SO, AND NOT AN ANGEL. Come and behold, the same is true of Moses in the bush, about which it is written, "And the angel of Hashem appeared to him in a flame of fire" (Shemot 3:2) and, "And when Hashem saw that he turned aside to see" (Ibid. 4). Sometimes IT IS WRITTEN, "The angel of Hashem," sometimes "an angel," and sometimes, "Hashem." THEREFORE, HERE AS BEFORE, "AND HASHEM SAID TO THE SATAN" MAY REFER TO AN ANGEL, AS WITH MOSES. This is why he said to him, "May Hashem rebuke you, Satan" rather than 'I hereby rebuke you, Satan.' HAD IT BEEN HASHEM WHO HAD SAID THIS, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN, 'I HEREBY REBUKE YOU, SATAN.' THEREFORE, WE CONCLUDE THAT THE ONE WHO SAID THIS WAS AN ANGEL.

374. וְאִי תֵימָא וַיֹּאמֶר יי' אֶל הַשָּׂטָן יִגְעַר יי' בְּךָ וגו'. תָּא חֲזֵי הָכֵי נָמֵי לְמֹשֶׁה בַּסְּנֶה, דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ יי' אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ. וּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא יי' כִּי סָר לִרְאוֹת. לְזִמְנִין מַלְאַךְ יי', וּלְזִמְנִין מַלְאָךְ, וּלְזִמְנִין יי'. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ יִגְעַר יי' בְּךָ הַשָּׂטָן, וְלֹא אָמַר הִנְּנִי גּוֹעֵר בְּךָ.

Angel of Death Angels Judgment Satan, The Soul, The Throne

375. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּגַוְונָא דָא, בְּיוֹמָא דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח דִּינָא בְּעָלְמָא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָתֵיב עַל כָּרְסְיָיא דְּדִינָא, כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּכַח הַאי שָׂטָן, דְּאַסְטֵי לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח אִיהוּ לְחַבָּלָא עָלְמָא, וְלִיטּוֹל נִשְׁמָתִין.