Vayeshev: Chapter 19

"And Joseph was brought down to Egypt ..."

Synopsis

This section begins by interpreting the phrase, "And Joseph was brought down into Egypt," as indicating God's approval of this act; it was necessary in order to fulfill His announcement to Abraham.

A discussion follows concerning the legions of angels who sing praises to the glory of God throughout the night. It is the role of the children of Israel to offer praises to God through litanies three times daily. In this way, God is glorified both day and night, from above and below. Rabbi Shimon next offers two explanations of the phrase, "who commands the sun," in the context of Jacob and Joseph. One explanation interprets this as an allusion to Joseph, when he was sold. The other understands it to refer to Jacob, when his sons showed him evidence of Joseph's death.

Relevance

In the course of spiritual development, we sometimes have to fail in order to build a greater vessel that can hold all the Light that awaits us as we ascend to the next level. This is what happened to Joseph when he was "brought down to Egypt." Egypt is a code word for darkness and disconnection from the Light of The Creator. Reading these passages helps attune us to the angelic hierarchies and the spiritual energy forces they transmit. These forces give us power to rise when we fall, and strength to stand after we stumble - and this serves to expand our vessel, so that we can receive even greater Light in our lives, thereby reducing the degree to which we stumble and fall.

Egypt Foreigner Joseph Potiphar Sin

195. In the verse, "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potifar bought him" (Beresheet 39:1), why is it written, "brought down" RATHER THAN 'WENT DOWN TO EGYPT?' HE ANSWERS, The Holy One, blessed be He, consented to the act OF SELLING JOSEPH TO EGYPT, so that the decree He made between the pieces would be fulfilled, as it is written, "Know surely that your seed shall be a stranger" (Beresheet 15:13). "And Potiphar bought him," to commit sin with him, NAMELY SODOMY.

195. וְיוֹסֵף הוּרַד מִצְרַיְמָה וַיִּקְנֵהוּ פּוֹטִיפַר וגו.' מַאי הוּרַד. דְּאִסְתַּכַּם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא, לְקַיְימָא גְזֵרָה דִילֵיהּ דִּגְזַר בֵּית הַבְּתָרִים, דִּכְתִיב יָדוֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ וגו.' וַיִּקְנֵהוּ פּוֹטִיפַר לִסְטַר חֲטָאָה קָנָה לֵיהּ.

Astrology Firmaments Job Seven Stars Sun

196. He quoted the verse, "Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and seals up the stars" (Iyov 9:7). Come and behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, made seven stars in the firmament THAT CORRESPOND TO THE SEVEN SFIROT: CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT. Each firmament contains numerous attendants who wait upon the Holy One, blessed be He.

196. פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, הָאוֹמֵר לַחֶרֶס וְלֹא יִזְרָח וּבְעַד כֹּכָבִים יַחְתֹּם. תָּא חֲזֵי שִׁבְעָה כֹּכְבַיָא עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּרְקִיעָא, וְכָל רְקִיעָא וּרְקִיעָא, אִית בֵּיהּ כַּמָּה שַׁמָּשִׁין מְמַנִּין, לְשַׁמָּשָׁא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

197. There is no attendant or appointee who does not have a specific task and service to perform for the Holy One, blessed be He, and each knows his own task.

197. בְּגִין דְּלֵית לָךְ שַׁמָּשָׁא, אוֹ מְמַנָּא, דְּלֵית לֵיהּ פּוּלְחָנָא וְשִׁמּוּשָׁא לְמָארֵיהּ, וְקָיְימֵי כָּל חַד וְחַד, עַל הַהוּא שִׁמּוּשָׁא דְּאִתְפַּקְדָא בֵּיהּ, וְכָל חַד יָדַע עֲבִידְתֵּיהּ לְשַׁמָּשָׁא.

Astrology Constellation Deeds Praise Stars

198. Some act as their Master's messengers, appointed in this world to oversee men's deeds. There are those who sing CHANTS AND HYMNS before Him, and those in charge of poetry. And even they are in charge of poetry, there is no host, no star or constellation that does not praise the Holy One, blessed be He.

198. מִנְּהוֹן מְשַׁמְּשֵׁי בִּשְׁלִיחוּתָא דְמָרֵיהוֹן, וְאִתְפַּקְּדָן בְּעַלְמָא עַל כָּל עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, וּמִנְּהוֹן דְּקָא מְשַׁבְּחִין לֵיהּ, וְאִינוּן אִתְפַּקְּדָן עַל שִׁירָתָא, וְאַף עַל גָּב דְּאִינוּן אִתְפַּקְּדָן בְּהַאי, לֵית לָךְ כָּל חֵילָא בִּשְׁמַיָיא, וְכֹכָבִין וּמַזָּלֵי, דְּכֻלְּהוּ לָא מְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

Angels Directions

199. For when night falls, three legions are divided into the three directions of the world, each containing tens of thousands OF ANGELS, whose task it is to sing.

199. דְּהָא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּעָאל לֵילְיָא, כְּדֵין אִתְפַּרְשָׁן תְּלַת סִטְרִין מַשִּׁרְיָין, לִתְלַת סִטְרֵי עַלְמָא, וּבְכָל סִטְרָא וְסִטְרָא, אֶלֶף אַלְפִין, וְרִבּוֹא, וְכֻלְּהוּ מְמַנָּן עַל שִׁירָתָא.

Abraham Angels Astrology Hosts Job Morning Nukva Praise South Stars

200. There are three hosts OF ANGELS and one living creature, THE NUKVA, that stands in charge of them. They all praise the Holy One, blessed be He, until morning comes, when those of the south side and the luminous stars, THE ANGELS, praise and recite poetry before the Holy One, blessed be He. It is written, "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy" (Iyov 38:7). "The morning stars" are the stars on the south side, NAMELY CHESED, as it is written, "And Abraham went early in the morning" (Beresheet 19:27). "All the sons of Elohim shouted for joy," refers to the stars on the left side, which are included within the right.

200. תְּלַת מַשִּׁרְיָין אִינוּן, וְחַד חֵיוָתָא קַדִּישָׁא מְמַנָּא עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְקָיְימָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְכֻלְּהוּ קָא מְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַד דְּאָתֵי צַפְרָא, כַּד אָתֵי צַפְרָא, כָּל אִינוּן דְּבִסְטַר דָּרוֹם, וְכָל כֹּכְבַיָא דְּנָהֲרֵי, כֻּלְּהוּ מְשַׁבְּחָן, וְאָמְרֵי שִׁירָתָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כד"א, בְּרָן יַחַד כֹּכְבֵי בֹקֶר וַיָּרִיעוּ כָּל בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים. בְּרָן יַחַד כֹּכְבֵי בֹקֶר, אִלֵּין כֹּכְבַיָא דְּבִסְטַר דָּרוֹם, כד"א וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר. וַיָּרִיעוּ כָּל בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים, אִלֵּין אִינון, דְּבִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, דְּאִתְכְּלִילוּ בִּימִינָא.

201. When daylight breaks, Yisrael sing the praises of the Holy One, blessed be He, three times a day, corresponding to the three night WATCHES. They stand before each other until the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, is duly risen day and night. The Holy One, blessed be He, ascends by means of the six LITANIES, THREE IN THE DAY AND THREE AT NIGHT.

201. וּכְדֵין צַפְרָא נָהֵיר, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל נָטְלֵי שִׁירָתָא, וּמְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בִּימָמָא, תְּלַת זִמְנִין בִּימָמָא, לָקֳבֵל תְּלַת זִמְנִין דְּלֵילְיָא, וְקָיְימִין אִלֵּין לָקֳבֵיל אִלֵּין, עַד דְּיִסְתַּלַּק יְקָרָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בִּימָמָא וּבְלֵילְיָא כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִסְתַּלַּק בְּהוֹ בְּשִׁית אִלֵּין.

Camp Food Hosts Maidens Nukva

202. The living creature that stands above them, THE NUKVA, also stands on Yisrael below to properly fix everything, as it is written, "She rises also while it is yet night, and gives food to her household, and a portion to her maidens" (Mishlei 31:15). "And gives food to her household," refers to the upper THREE hosts and, "a portion to her maidens," alludes to the camp of Yisrael below. Thus the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, is extolled on every side, above and below; everything exists by His permission and according to His wish.

202. הַהוּא חֵיוָתָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּקָיְימָא עֲלַיְיהוּ לְעֵילָא, קָיְימָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא, בְּגִין לְאַתְקָנָא כֹּלָּא כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, מַה כְּתִיב בָּהּ, וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ וְחֹק לְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ. וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָהּ אִלֵּין אִינוּן מַשִּׁירְיָין דִּלְעֵילָא, וְחֹק לְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ, אִלֵּין מַשִּׁרְיָין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַתָּא, וּבְגִין כָּך יְקָרָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִסְתַּלַּק מִכָּל סִטְרִין, מֵעֵילָא וּמִתַּתָּא. וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא הוּא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ קַיְימָא, וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ בִּרְעוּתֵיהּ.

Astrology Egypt Intercourse Jacob Job Joseph Light Shechinah Stars Sun

203. " ...Who commands the sun, and it rises not ..." (Iyov 9:7). Rabbi Shimon says this refers to Joseph WHEN HE WAS SOLD INTO EGYPT. "And seals up the stars" are his brothers, about whom it is written, "And the eleven stars bowed down to me" (Beresheet 37:9). In another explanation, "Who commands the sun," refers to Jacob at the time he was told, "Know now WHETHER IT BE YOUR SON'S COAT OR NOT" (Beresheet 37:32). " ...And it rises not ..." means when the Shechinah was gone from him; "and seals up the stars," means his sons, as his light was sealed and closed upon him because of them. The sun darkened and the stars did not shine because Joseph was separated from his father. Come and behold, since Joseph was sold, Jacob abstained from marital intercourse and remained in mourning until he heard the good tidings of Joseph.

203. הָאוֹמֵר לַחֶרֶס וְלֹא יִזְרָח. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲמַר, דָּא יוֹסֵף. וּבְעַד כּוֹכָבִים יַחְתּוֹם, אִלֵּין אִינוּן אֲחוֹי, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוֹ, וַאֲחַד עָשָׂר כּוֹכָבִים מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לִי. דָּבָר אֲחֵר הָאוֹמֵר לַחֶרֶס, דָּא יַעֲקֹב, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דַּאֲמָרוּ לוֹ הַכֶּר נָא. וְלֹא יִזְרָח, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִסְתַּלְקַת שְׁכִינְתָּא מִנֵּיהּ. וּבְעַד כֹּכָבִים יַחְתּוֹם, בְּגִין בְּנוֹי, אִתְחַתַּם וְאִסְתֵּים נְהוֹרָא דִּילֵיהּ, שִׁמְשָׁא אִתְחַשַׁךְ, וְכֹכְבַיָא לָא נְהִירוּ, בְּגִין דְּיוֹסֵף אִתְפָּרַשׁ מֵאֲבוֹי. וְתָּא חֲזֵי מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא דְהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְיוֹסֵף, אִתְפְּרַשׁ יַעֲקֹב מִשִּׁמּוּשָׁא דְּעַרְסָא, וְאִשְׁתָּאַר אֲבֵלָא, עַד הַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּאִתְבַּשַּׂר בְּשׂוֹרָה דְיוֹסֵף.

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