"Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine"

Synopsis

The importance of modesty and spiritual behavior for the wife of a man is examined through the teachings of the holy Zohar. A woman corresponds to the Sfirah of Malchut, which is the receptacle and vessel for the Light of the Creator in this physical realm. A woman plays the same role in the physical world of family, manifesting spiritual energy for the entire household. The more pure her vessel is, the more Light she generates for her loved ones.

Relevance

The letters that form these mystical texts arouse a greater sense of appreciation for the dynamic role that a woman's virtue plays in the family. This appreciation helps to purify a woman's vessel, making her a more effective channel of energy for her family.

House Olive Table Tree Vine Women

431. Rabbi Yosi began the discussion with the verse, "Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of your house, and your children like olive plants round about your table" (Tehilim 128:3). "Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine" MEANS THAT as long as the woman remains by the sides of the house and does not go outside, she is modest and worthy of bearing worthy children. "As a fruitful vine" means that just as a vine is always planted with its own kind, so shall an honorable wife never grow any sprouts, NAMELY CHILDREN, from another man. And just as a vine is never grafted with another kind of tree, so an honorable wife NEVER MATES WITH ANOTHER MAN.

431. פָּתַח רַבִּי יוֹסֵי וַאֲמַר, אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ בָּנֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִילֵי זֵיתִים סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ. אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה, כָּל זִמְנָא, דְּאִתְּתָא בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתָא, וְלָא נָפְקָא לְבַר, הִיא צְנוּעָה, וְאִתְחֲזֵי לְאוֹלָדָא בְּנִין דְּכָשְׁרָן. כְּגֶפֶן, מַה גֶּפֶן, לָא אִתְנַטְעָא אֶלָּא בְּזִינָהּ, וְלָא בְּזִינָא אָחֳרָא. כָּךְ אִתְּתָא דְכָשְׁרָא, לָא תֶעֱבַד נְטִיעָן בְּבַר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא. מַה גֶּפֶן, לָא אִית בֵּיהּ רְכִיבָה מֵאִילָנָא אָחֳרָא, אוֹף הָכֵי אִתְּתָא דְּכָשְׁרָא הָכֵי נָמֵי.

Olive Table Tree

Fear Olive Sacrifice Shechinah Table

433. What is written next? "Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed, that fears Hashem" (Tehilim 128:4). AND HE ASKS, What is MEANT BY "Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed." SHOULD IT NOT BE WRITTEN, 'BEHOLD - THUS?' AND HE REPLIES, This is another issue that is learned from her. As long as the Shechinah was kept modestly in Her place, as is properly suited for Her, then it is as though "your children are like olive plants." These are the children of Yisrael living in the land OF YISRAEL "round about your table," as they eat, drink, offer sacrifices, and rejoice before the Holy One, blessed be He. And the upper and lower beings are blessed because of them.

433. מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ, הִנֵּה כִי כֵן יְבֹרַךְ גָּבֶר יְרֵא יי'. מַאי הִנֵּה כִי כֵן יְבֹרַךְ גָּבֶר. הִנֵּה כֵן מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא לְאַסְגָּאָה מִלָּה אָחֳרָא, דְּאוֹלִיפְנָא דָּא מִנָּהּ, דְּכָל זִמְנָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא הֲוָה צְנִיעָא בְּאַתְרָהּ, כִּדְקָא חָזֵי לָהּ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, בָּנֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִילֵי זֵיתִים, אִלֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּד שָׁרָאן בְּאַרְעָא. סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ. דְּאָכְלֵי וְשָׁתָאן, וּקְרֵבִין קָרְבָּנִין וְחָדָאן קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּמִתְבָּרְכָן עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין בְּגִינַיְיהוּ.

Holy Land Punishment Shechinah Table Torah

434. After the Shechinah departed FROM HER PLACE, the children of Yisrael were exiled from the table of their Father and dispersed among the nations. And they cry out all day long, but there is no one who takes heed except the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies..." (Vayikra 26:44) And we do see how many holy and saintly men did perish under harsh decrees, all this being a punishment of the Torah, which Yisrael did not observe when they lived in the Holy Land.

434. לְבָתַר דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא נָפְקַת, אִתְגָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵעַל פְּתוֹרָא דַּאֲבוּהוֹן, וַהֲווֹ בֵּינֵי עַמָּמַיָא, וְצָוְוחִין כָּל יוֹמָא, וְלֵית דְּאַשְׁגַּח בְּהוֹ, בַּר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִיב וְאַף גַּם זֹאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אוֹיְבֵיהֶם וגו'. וְחָמִינָן, כַּמָּה קַדִּישִׁין עִלָּאִין, מִיתוּ בִּגְזֵרִין תַּקִּיפִין, וְכָל דָּא, בְּגִין עוֹנָשָׁא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּלָא קָיְימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כַּד הֲווֹ שָׁרָאן בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא.

Blessing Heart Levites Priests Sacrifice

435. As it is written, "Because you do not serve Hashem your Elohim with joyfulness and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things" (Devarim 28:47). There is a secret in this verse. The verse "Because you serve not Hashem your Elohim with joyfulness" refers to when the priests offered sacrifices and burned offerings, which is done "...with joyfulness." "And with gladness of heart..." refers to the Levites. And "for the abundance of all things" refers to Yisrael, who are positioned in the middle, between THE PRIESTS AND THE LEVITES, and receive blessings from both sides - FROM THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT.

435. חֲמֵי מַה כְּתִיב, תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָבַדְתָּ אֶת יי' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב מֵרֹב כֹּל. הַאי קְרָא, אִיהוּ רָזָא תַּחַת, אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָבַדְתָּ בְּשִׂמְחָה בִּזְמַן דְּכֹהֲנֵי הֲווֹ קְרֵבִין קָרְבָּנִין וַעֲלָוָון, וְדָא הִיא בְּשִׂמְחָה. וּבְטוּב לֵבָב, אִלֵּין לֵיוָאֵי. מֵרוֹב כֹּל, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דַּהֲווֹ אֶמְצָעִיִּים בֵּינַיְיהוּ, וְנָטְלֵי בִּרְכָאן מִכָּל סִטְרִין.

Levites Priests Threshing

436. דִּכְתִיב הִרְבִּיתָ הַגּוֹי לוֹ הִגְדַּלְתָּ הַשִּׂמְחָה. אִלֵּין כַּהֲנֵי. שָׂמְחוּ לְפָנֶיךָ כְּשִׂמְחַת בַּקָּצִיר, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרֵיךְ לוֹן, עִבּוּרָא דְחַקְלָא, וְיַהֲבֵי מַעַשְׂרָא מִכֹּלָּא. כַּאֲשֶׁר יָגִילוּ בְּחַלְּקָם שָׁלָל. אִלֵּין לֵיוָאֵי, דְּנָטְלָא מַעַשְׂרָא, מִגּוֹ אִדְרָא.

Abraham Faith Grades Head

437. A different meaning of "You have multiplied the nation" is that it refers to Yisrael, who properly keep Faith in the Holy One, blessed be He. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN, WHICH INCLUDES THE RIGHT AND LEFT COLUMNS, AS WAS SAID BEFORE. The words "and increased its joy" mean the grade of the supernal Head, REFERRING TO CHESED THAT HAS BECOME CHOCHMAH, to which Abraham has cleaved, because it is called 'Great' and joyfulness can be found in it. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT COLUMN, WHICH IS CHESED.

437. דָּבָר אֲחֵר הִרְבִּיתָ הַגּוֹי. אִלֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲלַיְיהוּ, כִּדְקָא חָזֵי. לוֹ הִגְדַלְתָּ הַשִּׂמְחָה. דָּא אִיהוּ דַרְגָּא, רֵישָׁא עִלָּאָה דְּאַבְרָהָם דְּאִתְדַּבַּק בָּהּ, דְּאִיהוּ גָּדוֹל, וְחֶדְוָה בֵּיהּ אִשְׁתַּכַּח.

Abraham Chariot Congregation Crowns Field Head Hosts Nukva

438. "They rejoiced before You" refers to the time when they rose to cleave to You "as the joy in harvest," which is the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY THE NUKVA, which rejoiced in His harvest. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE LEFT COLUMN, BECAUSE THE REAPING OF THE CROP OF A FIELD COMES FROM THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT. AND THE "HARVEST" IS THE DESIRED RESULT OF WORKING THE FIELDS. SO WHEN IT IS SAID, "THE JOY IN HARVEST," THIS IS THE SECRET OF HER HUSBAND BEING CROWNED BY HER, WHILE SHE IN RETURN IS NOT CROWNED BY HER HUSBAND. "...As men rejoice when they divide the spoil" refers to rejoicing by the other hosts and Chariots, THOSE BENEATH THE NUKVA, while they divide among themselves the spoil and fall upon the prey before everyone else. THIS REFERS TO THE SUPERNAL HEAD, WHICH ABRAHAM CLEAVED TO AND WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT COLUMN, WHICH IS CHESED.

438. שָׂמְחוּ לְפָנֶיךָ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּסָלְקִין לְאִתְדַבְּקָא בָּךְ. כְּשִׂמְחַת בַּקָּצִיר. דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּשִׂמְחַת בַּקָּצִיר דִּילֵיהּ הֲוָה. כַּאֲשֶׁר יָגִילוּ בְּחַלְּקָם שָׁלָל. כַּאֲשֶׁר יָגִילוּ, אִלֵּין שְׁאָר חֵילִין, וּרְתִיכִין לְתַתָּא, בְּזִמְנָא דִּמְחַלְּקֵי שָׁלָל, וְטַרְפֵי טַרְפָא, בְּרֵאשִׁיתָא דְכֹלָּא.