"And the thing which he did displeased Hashem ..."

Synopsis

This section addresses the sin which, We are told, defiles man most in this world and in the World to Come, masturbation. This judgment is not based upon moral or ethical principles, but rather upon the metaphysical structure of the Upper Worlds. The dark forces that challenge us throughout our spiritual development derive their strength and sustenance from the Light they steal from us. Thus, when we react or behave with intolerance towards others, the Light we lose strengthens the Evil Inclination. Masturbation is condemned for the simple reason that a man's seed is the substance that is closest in form to the Light of The Creator. It is raw, naked energy, and therefore requires concealment when it is revealed in our physical world. This concealment takes place when a man's seed is used for the direct purpose of creating life. Moreover, sexual relations between a man and wife express the ultimate in sharing, with both parties imparting pleasure to one another. In this loving and protected environment, the Light and power of a man's sperm cannot be appropriated or defiled by the Evil Inclination. The spilling of a man's seed is an act that is done for immediate self-gratification. Consequently, negative forces immediately appropriate this Light and our lives grow a little bit darker. Hardships and misfortunes in life - whether emotional, financial, marital, or otherwise - result from a lack of spiritual Light. We also learn of the great rewards in the World to Come for a man who has trained his children to draw close to God and live by the spiritual wisdom of Torah.

Relevance

When a man refrains from pleasuring himself through the wanton spilling of his seed, his spiritual life force grows increasingly stronger. This manifests in many ways, including more intense sexual desire for his mate, and greater emotional stability and inner peace. The Light of this passage helps to cleanse and eradicate the dark forces that attach to us as a result of our sexually self-gratifying actions. This Light helps us to recognize the spiritual benefits associated with directing our carnal desires towards sharing pleasure with our mate, and drawing the Light of The Creator into this darkened world.

Deeds Hands Morning Sin Testimony

181. "And the thing which he did displeased Hashem: So He slew him also" (Beresheet 38:10). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion with the verse, "In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand" (Kohelet 11:6). Come and behold, it behooves man much to be careful lest he sin and to be heedful in his actions before the Holy One, blessed be He. For there are numerous messengers and chieftains in the world who roam about observing the deeds of man and bearing testimony of him, recording everything in a book.

181. וַיֵּרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה' אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיָּמֶת גַּם אֹתוֹ. רִבִּי חִיָּיא פְּתַח בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֲךָ וְלָעֶרֶב אַל תַּנַּח יָדְךָ וגו.' תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָּה אִתְחֲזֵי לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ, לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא מֵחוֹבוֹי וּלְאִזְדַּהֲרָא בְּעוֹבָדוֹי קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין דְּכַמָּה שְׁלִיחָן וְכַמָּה מְמַנָּן אִינוּן בְּעַלְמָא, דְּאִינוּן אָזְלִין וְשָׁיְיטָן, וְחָמָאן עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, וְסָהֲדִין עֲלוֹי, וְכֹלָּא בְּסִפְרָא כְתִיבִין.

Evil Hands Semen Sin Wickedness World to Come, The

182. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכָל אִינוּן חוֹבִין דְּאִסְתָּאַב בְּהוֹ בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, דָּא אִיהוּ חוֹבָא דְּאִסְתָּאַב בֵּיהּ בַּר נָשׁ יַתִּיר בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, מַאן דְּאוֹשִׁיד זַרְעֵיהּ בְּרֵיקַנְיָא, וְאַפֵּיק זַרְעָא לְמַגָּנָא, בִּידָא אוֹ בְּרַגְלָא וְאִסְתָּאַב בֵּיהּ, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר כִּי לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אָתָּה לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע.

Ancient of Days (Atik Yomin) Atik Yomin (Ancient of Days) Blood Curtain Er Evil Face Fear Firstborn Hands Judah Semen Wicked Wickedness

183. He therefore does not come inside the curtain OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, or behold the presence of Atik Yomin, as is learned from the verses, "Nor shall evil dwell with You," and "And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Hashem" (Beresheet 38:7). BOTH VERSES INDICATE THAT HE DOES NOT BEHOLD THE FACE OF HASHEM. Hence, it is written, "Your hands are full of blood" (Yeshayah 1:15), WHICH REFERS TO LETTING SEMEN BY THE HAND, WHICH IS LIKENED TO SHEDDING BLOOD. Happy is the portion of the man who fears Hashem and is guarded from the evil path, and purifies himself to be occupied in the fear of his Master.

183. בְּג"ד, לָא עָאל לְפַרְגּוֹדָא, וְלָא חָמֵי סֵבֶר אַפֵּי עַתִּיק יוֹמִין, כְּמָה דְּתָנִינָן, כְּתִיב הָכָא לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע, וּכְתִיב וַיְהִי עֵר בְּכוֹר יְהוּדָה רַע בְּעֵינֵי ה,' וּבְגִין כָּך כְּתִיב, יְדֵיכֶם דָּמִים מָלֵאוּ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ דְּדָחֵיל לְמָארֵיהּ, וִיהֵא נְטִיר מֵאוֹרַח בִּישָׁא, וְיַדְכֵּי גַרְמֵיהּ, לְאִשְׁתַּדָּלָא בִּדְחִילוּ דְמָארֵיהּ.

Morning Strength

184. תָּא חֲזֵי, בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ, הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, בַּבֹּקֶר: דָּא הוּא, בְּזִמְנָא דְּבַר נָשׁ אִתְקַיֵּים בְּחֵילֵיהּ, וִיהֵא בְּעוּלֵימוֹ, כְּדֵין אִשְׁתַּדַּל לְאוֹלָדָא בְּנִין, בְּאִיתְּתָא דְּחַזְיָא לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ.

Arrows Children Fear Gates Hands Torah World to Come, The

185. Then it is his time TO BEGET CHILDREN, as it is written, "As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of one's youth" (Tehilim 127:4). Then he is able to teach them the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, and to receive good reward for the World to Come, as it is written, "Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them, they shall not be put to shame, but they shall speak with their enemies in the gate" (Ibid. 5). "They shall not be put to shame" in the World of Truth when the Accusers bring accusations on them, for there is no better reward in that world then THE REWARD of he who teaches his child the fear of Hashem in the ways of the Torah.

185. דְּהָא כְּדֵין זִמְנָא אִיהוּ, כד"א, כְּחִצִּים בְּיַד גִּבּוֹר כֵּן בְּנֵי הַנְּעוּרִים, בְּגִין דְּיָכִיל לְמֵילַף לְהוֹ אָרְחוֹי דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וִיהֵא לֵיהּ אַגְרָא טָבָא לְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, דִּכְתִיב אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר מִלֵּא אֶת אַשְׁפָּתוֹ מֵהֶם לֹא יֵבֹשׁוּ כִּי יְדַבְּרוּ אֶת אוֹיְבִים בַּשָּׁעַר. לֹא יֵבוֹשׁוּ בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא, בְּזִמְנָא דְמָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא יֵיתוּן לְקַטְרְגָא עֲלוֹי, דְּלֵית לָךְ אַגְרָא טָבָא בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא, כְּהַהוּא דְאוֹלִיף לֵיהּ לִבְרֵיהּ דְּחִילוּ דְמָרֵיהּ, בְּאָרְחוֹי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא.

Abraham Judgment Merit World to Come, The

186. תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה אָמַר בְּאַבְרָהָם דִּכְתִיב כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו וְאֶת בֵּיתוֹ אַחֲרָיו וְשָׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶךְ ה' לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט, וְעַל דָּא הַהוּא זְכוּ קָיְימָא לֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא, לְגַבֵּי כָּל מָארֵיהוֹן דְּדִינָא.

Hands Morning

187. וּבְגִין כָּך בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת זַרְעֶךָ וְלָעֶרֶב אַל תַּנַּח יָדֶךָ אֲפִילּוּ בְּיוֹמֵי דְזִקְנָה, דְּאִיהוּ זִמְנָא דְסִיב בַּר נָשׁ, מַה כְּתִיב אַל תַּנַּח יָדֶךָ, לָא יִשְׁבּוֹק מִלְּאוֹלָדָא בְּהַאי עַלְמָא, מַאי טַעְמָא, בְּגִין דְּלָא תֵדַע אֵיזֶה יִכְשַׁר הַזֶּה אוֹ זֶה לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים, בְּגִין דִּיקוּמוּן בְּגִינֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא עַלְמָא.

Merit Samuel Soul, The Torah World to Come, The

188. Hence it is written, "Lo, children are the heritage of Hashem" (Tehilim 127:3). This is the 'bundle of LIFE' OF the soul, THE SECRET OF THE VERSE, "YET THE SOUL OF MY LORD SHALL BE BOUND IN THE BOND OF LIFE" (I SHMUEL 25:29), CONSIDERED AS the World to Come and called 'heritage' BY THE SCRIPTURE. Who causes man to merit the heritage of Hashem? Children do. The children cause man to merit the heritage of Hashem! Therefore, happy is the man who has children to whom he may teach the ways of the Torah.

188. וְעַל דָּא כְתִיב, הִנֵּה נַחֲלַת ה' בָּנִים, דָּא צְרוֹרָא דְנִשְׁמָתָא, סִטְרָא דְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, וּלְהַאי נַחֲלָה. מַאן זָכֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאַעָלָא בְּהַהוּא נַחֲלַת ה,' בָּנִים, אִינוּן בְּנִין, זָכָאן לֵיהּ לְנַחֲלַת ה,' וְעַל דָּא זַכָּאָה הַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, דְּזָכֵי לוֹן דְּיוֹלִיף לוֹן אָרְחוֹי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר.