Four joints

Synopsis

This passage seems to assign lesser importance to the four sons that Jacob had with the handmaidens of Leah and Rachel. However, the Zohar reveals that the spiritual system and supernal structure of reality is perfect, complete, and includes all components, no matter how irrelevant they might appear. Though the four children are not present among the Sfirot, they are included in the symbolic body of Adam Kadmon as the joints of his arms and legs.

Relevance

A good computer system depends on a powerful microprocessor. If a tiny, "insignificant" wire is absent or defective, the entire system is rendered inoperable. All the elements are, in a manner of speaking, equally important. Similarly, everyone in this world is as important as the most righteous sage, including those we might consider to be on a lower level of spirituality than ourselves. It behooves us to stop judging others, and to recognize that every person plays a vital role in the spiritual structure of humanity. This passage instills this wisdom in our consciousness, so that we may begin living it every day.

Daughter Leah Rachel Righteous

143. Rabbi Elazar continued the discussion, We have learned that Leah surely bore six sons and one daughter, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT. And Rachel bore two sons, THE TWO UPPER AND LOWER RIGHTEOUS ONES. This is also so. But what of the four sons of the handmaids? What is their connection? AS IN THE SONS OF RACHEL AND LEAH THERE ARE ALREADY ALL THE SFIROT. HE ANSWERS, They are the four knots called 'hinder parts,' of whom it is written, "and all their hinder parts were inward" (I Melachim 7:25).

143. תוּ אָמַר רָבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הָא דְּאִתְּמָר, לֵאָה אוֹלִידַת שִׁית בְּנִין וּבְרַתָּא חָדָא, הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, רָחֵל תְּרֵי בְּנִין וַדַּאי, בְּנֵי שְׁפָחוֹת אַרְבָּעָה, תִּקּוּנָא דִלְהוֹן הֵיךְ קָיְימֵי. אֶלָּא אִינוּן אַרְבַּע קְשָׁרִים דְּאִקְרוּן אֲחוֹרַיִם, דִּכְתִיב וְכָל אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם בָּיְתָה.

Body Hands Hind

144. In the right arm, CHESED, there are three joints, AS THE ARM IS DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS - THE BICEPS, THE ARM, AND THE HAND. THE PARTS ARE CONNECTED BY THREE JOINTS. However the joint in the middle is bigger than the others and is CONSIDERED AS a hinder part protruding outward. Similarly, there is ONE MIDDLE JOINT OF THE THREE JOINTS in the left arm; one OF THE THREE JOINTS in the right leg; and one OF THE THREE JOINTS in the left leg. When everything is properly arranged, all four hind joints COME inside THE BODY, in keeping with the verse, "and all their hinder parts were inward."

144. דְּהָא בִּדְרוֹעָא יְמִינָא, תְּלַת קִשְׁרִין אֲבָל קִשְׁרָא חַד בְּאֶמְצָעִיתָא דְּאִיהוּ רַב וְאִיהוּ אָחוֹר, דְּאִשְׁתָּאַר לְבַר. וְכֵן חַד בִּדְרוֹעָא שְׂמָאלָא, וְכֵן חַד בְּיַרְכָא יְמִינָא, וְכֵן חַד בְּיַרְכָא שְׂמָאלָא, וְכַד אִתְתַּקַּן כֹּלָּא, אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ כֻּלְּהוּ בָּיְתָה, לְקַיְימָא קְרָא דִּכְתִיב וְכָל אֲחוֹרֵיהֶם בָּיְתָה.

Body Leah Rachel Twelve Twelve Tribes of Israel

145. כָּל שְׁאָר קִשּׁוּרִין, כֻּלְּהוּ אִתְחַזְּיָין בְּמֵישַׁר וְאִלֵּין נָפְקִין, לְבַר מִדְּרוֹעִין, וּלְבַר מִיַּרְכִין, לְאִתְחֲזָאָה בִּבְנֵי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת, דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינוּן בְּמִנְיָינָא, לָא חֲשִׁיבֵי כִּבְנֵי רָחֵל וְלֵאָה. וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ נָפְקֵי לְבַר.