Vayeshev: Chapter 15

"And he called his name Er"

Synopsis

The interconnection of the upper and lower worlds is exemplified in this section concerning the fate of Judah's firstborn son, Er. Judah's fall and descent, we're told, signify the descent and obscuring of the moon and the supernal Light; consequently, his son was born of the Side of Defilement, and was therefore later slain by the Lord.

Relevance

In order to grow spiritually and bring greater fulfillment to our lives, we must abolish all the character traits within us that emerge from the side of Defilement and Darkness. Darkness ends when the 'Light' is turned on, which occurs when we peruse these profound words of wisdom.

Canaanite Daughter Er Judah Punishment Shelah, Son of Judah

150. "And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite" (Beresheet 38:2). HE ASKS, Was he Canaanite? DID NOT THE FATHERS AVOID MARRYING AMONG THE CANAANITES? HE REPLIES, It has been explained by the friends THAT THE WORD CANAANITE MEANS 'MERCHANT.' "And she conceived, and bore a son, and he called his name Er" (Ibid. 3). Judah had three sons, but only one, Shelah, remained. THE MEANING OF "JUDAH WENT DOWN," IS THAT HE BEGOT SONS AND BURIED THEN, WHICH IS A DESCENT AND PUNISHMENT.

150. וַיַּרְא שָׁם יְהוּדָה בַּת אִישׁ כְּנַעֲנִי. וְכִי כְּנַעֲנִי הֲוָה, אֶלָּא הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא. וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ עֵר, תְּלַת בְּנִין הֲווֹ לֵיהּ לִיהוּדָה, וְלָא אִשְׁתָּאֲרוּ מִנַּיְיהוּ בַּר חַד, וְדָא הוּא שֵׁלָה.

Er Female Firstborn Judah Male Onan Shelah, Son of Judah

151. Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Yosi, and Rabbi Chiya were walking along the road. Rabbi Yosi asks Rabbi Elazar: Why is it written in relation to Judah's firstborn, "And he called his name Er," USING THE MALE PRONOUN, and of the other two sons, "she called his name Onan," and "she called his name Shelah," USING THE FEMALE PRONOUN?

151. רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, וְרִבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְרִבִּי חִיָּיא, הֲווֹ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא. אֲמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, אַמַּאי כְּתִיב בִּבְנוֹי דִּיהוּדָה בְּקַדְמָאָה, וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ עֵר, וּבִתְרֵין אָחֳרָנִין כְּתִיב, וַתִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ אוֹנָן, וַתִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ שֵׁלָה.

Astrology Chirah Grades Judah Moon Nukva Serpent

152. He said to him: Come and behold. This portion contains a profound secret, and all is proper. "Judah went down from his brothers" because the moon, THE NUKVA, became obscure and descended from the upright grade to another grade to which the serpent is attached. It is written, "And turned into a certain Adullamite, whose name was Chirah."

152. אָמַר לוֹ תָּא חֲזֵי, הַאי פָּרְשָׁתָא רָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ, וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ כִּדְקָא חָזֵי. וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו, דְּהָא אִתְכַּסְיָא סִיהֲרָא, וְנָחֲתַת מִדַּרְגָּא דְּתִקֻּנָּא, לְגוֹ דַּרְגָּא אוֹחֲרָא דְּאִתְחַבַּר בֵּיהּ חִוְּיָא, כד"א וַיֵּט עַד אִישׁ עֲדֻלָּמִי וּשְׁמוֹ חִירָה.

Er Evil Evil Inclination Grades Hebrew Letters

153. "And she conceived, and bore a son; and he called his name Er (Ayin Resh)" (Beresheet 38:3). He was evil (Heb. Resh Ayin) - which amounts to the same thing, FOR 'EVIL' AND ER ARE SPELLED WITH THE SAME HEBREW LETTERS. Because he came from the side of the Evil Inclination, it is written, "And he called (Heb. et) his name Er." The particle Et adds yet another grade of filth of defilement, from which he was born. This is why Er and Ra ('evil') are identical, NAMELY, SPELLED WITH THE SAME HEBREW LETTERS!

153. וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ עֵר, וְאִיהוּ רַע, וְכֹלָּא חַד, דְּאַתְיָא מִסִּטְרָא דְיֵצֶר הָרָע. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ, וְלָא כְתִיב וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בְּיַעֲקֹב כְּתִיב, וַיִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרָא לֵיהּ יַעֲקֹב, וְהָכָא אֶ"ת, לְאַסְגָּאָה דַּרְגָּא אָחֳרָא דְּזוּהֲמָא דִּמְסָאֳבָא אִתְיְלֵיד, וְדָא הוּא עֵר רַע, וְכֹלָּא חַד.

Blood Er Evil Firstborn Ground Heart Holiness (Kedushah) Judah Kedushah (Holiness) Onan Semen Shelah, Son of Judah Wicked Wickedness

154. With the second son, the place was not yet mitigated AND RETURNED TO HOLINESS. That happened only when Shelah, who was the most important of them all, came. It is written, "And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Hashem" (Beresheet 38:7), and "for the inclination of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Beresheet 8:21). THERE IT MEANS 'SPILLING SEMEN IN VAIN;' THUS, HERE IT MEANS HE WAS SPILLING blood, for he spilt semen on the ground. That is why "Hashem slew him" (Ibid.). Then, "Judah said to Onan, 'Go in to your brother's wife...'"

154. לְבָתַר לָא אִתְבַּסַּם אַתְרָא, עַד דַאֲתָא שֵׁלָה, דַּהֲוָה עִקָּרָא דְּכֻלְּהוּ. מַה כְּתִיב וַיְהִי עֵר בְּכֹר יְהוּדָה רַע בְּעֵינֵי ה,' כְּתִיב הָכָא רַע, וּכְתִיב הָתָם, כִּי יֵצֶר לֵב הָאָדָם רַע מִנְעוּרָיו, רַע: דְּאוֹשִׁיד דָּמִין, אוֹשִׁיד זַרְעָא עַל אַרְעָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ וַיְמִיתֵהוּ ה,' מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ, וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה לְאוֹנָן בֹּא אֶל אֵשֶׁת אָחִיךָ וגו.'

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