Samael and the wife of harlotry

Synopsis

This is a discussion of the dual nature of evil, as revealed by Jacob's story. The Klipot, or 'shells' of negativity, have both male and female aspects. The text personifies the softer, female aspect of evil as a whore - "the wife of harlotry" - dressed up in her finery to seduce men. A foolish man is seduced by evil's glittering facade and by distracting displays of false affection. After an individual has consorted with evil, its illusion of softness melts away, replaced by the hard and punitive male aspect, [do not pronounce this name] Samael, who is an avenger and a killer. Jacob, a wise man, is tempted by the evil's feminine charms, and is almost seduced by the Other Side - but at the last moment, he sees its true nature and turns away. Samael is so vexed at losing a victim that he fights Jacob, as it is written, "And there wrestled a man with him..." Jacob is strong enough to defeat Samael, yet he is also forever scarred by the struggle when the demon "touched the hollow of his thigh." This mark is his badge of honor.

Relevance

Far too frequently, we fall prey to the illusions of our material existence, and this is never without cost. Our egos may be seduced by flattery and opportunities for gaining prestige and honor. Pride and social pressures make true spiritual growth and fulfillment almost impossible to achieve, setting the stage for perhaps the greatest of all metaphysical battles, the struggle with our own ego. The sages understood this challenge, and gave us the ability to invoke the might of Jacob through the Hebrew letters that compose this passage. As we are strengthened in the face of evil, we gain the power to see through its attractive façade, and to overcome the temptations that hinder our journey towards the Light.

Evil Female Holiness (Kedushah) Isaac Kedushah (Holiness) Klipot (Shells – Negativity) Light Male Nukva Other Side Red Samael Serpent Shells (Klipot) Strength Wine Zeir Anpin

23. A deep mystery is found in the strength of Isaac's light OF HOLINESS, and from the dregs of wine, WHICH ARE KLIPOT. One shape emerged FROM BOTH, made of GOOD AND EVIL, male and female, as one. It is red as a rose and extends to many sides and paths, HAVING MANY ASPECTS. The male is called 'Samael' and the female is always included within him. As on the side of holiness, ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA ARE ALWAYS INCLUDED ONE WITHIN THE OTHER; so it is on the Other Side, a male and female are included within one another. The female of Samael is called a 'serpent,' "a wife of harlotry," "The End of all Flesh" (Beresheet 6:13), and the end of days.

23. סִתְרָא דְסִתְרִין, מִגּוֹ דְתוֹקְפָא דְטִיהֲרָא דְיִצְחָק, מִגּוֹ דוּרְדַּיָא דְחַמְרָא, נְפַק חַד נְעִיצוּ קְטִירָא, כָּלֵיל חַד דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, סוּמְקָא כְּוַורְדָא, מִתְפָּרְשָׁן לְכַמָּה סִטְרִין וּשְׁבִילִין. דְּכוּרָא אִקְרֵי סמא"ל, נוּקְבֵיהּ כְּלִילָא בְּגַוֵּיהּ תָּדִיר. כְּמָה דְאִיהוּ בִּסְטַר קְדוּשָׁה, הָכֵי נָמֵי בְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא כְּלִילָן דָּא בְּדָא. נוּקְבָא דִּסמא"ל, נָחָשׁ, אִקְרֵי: אֵשֶׁת זְנוּנִים, קֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר, קֵץ הַיָּמִים.

Body Evil Female Head Light Male Partzufim

24. Two evil spirits cling together. THE ILLUMINATION OF the spirit of the male is a thin light, NAMELY, ONLY THE SIX EXTREMITIES WITHOUT THE HEAD. And the spirit of the female materializes in many ways and paths, BEING AN ENTIRE PARTZUF, HEAD, AND BODY, FOR IN THE KLIPAH, THE FEMALE IS LARGER THAN THE MALE. She cleaves to the spirit of the male, wearing ample jewelry like an abominable whore standing on main roads and pathways to seduce men. THIS TEACHES US THAT SHE VALUES ONLY THOSE WHO START WALKING THE PATH OF HASHEM AND ARE APT TO FALL INTO HER TRAP. THEREFORE, SHE IS VIEWED AS STANDING AT THE MAIN (LIT. 'START OF') ROAD TO HASHEM'S DEVOTION. BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE ACCUSTOMED TO THE WAYS OF HASHEM, THE WHORE IS SEPARATED FROM THEM AND HAS NO POWER OVER THEM.

24. תְּרֵין רוּחִין בִּישִׁין מִתְדַּבְּקָן כַּחֲדָא, רוּחָא דִדְכוּרָא דַּקִּיק. רוּחָא דְּנוּקְבָא, בְּכַמָּה אוֹרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין מִתְפַּרְשָׁא, וּמִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּהַהוּא רוּחָא דִּדְכוּרָא. קַשֵּׁיטַת גַּרְמָהּ בְּכַמָּה תַּכְשִׁיטִין, כְּזוֹנָה, מְרַחֲקָא קָיְימַת בְּרֵישׁ אוֹרְחִין וּשְׁבִילִין, לְפַתָּאָה בְּנֵי נָשָׁא.

Kisses Serpent Wine

25. שַׁטְיָא דְּקָרֵיב בַּהֲדָהּ, אַתְקֵיפַת בֵּיהּ, וּנְשָׁקַת לֵיהּ, מָסְכַת לֵיהּ חַמְרָא דְּדוּרְדַיָא, דִּמְרוֹרַת פְּתָנִים. כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁתֵי, אַסְטֵי אֲבַתְרָהּ, לְבָתַר דְּחָמַאת לֵיהּ סָטֵי אֲבַתְרָהּ, מֵאוֹרְחָא דִקְשׁוֹט, אַפְשֵׁיטַת גַּרְמָהּ, מִכָּל אִינוּן תִּקּוּנִין דַּהֲוַת מִתְתַּקְנָא לְגַבֵּי דְהַהוּא שַׁטְיָא.

Ears Egyptians Face Hair Lips Oil Purple Red Sword White

26. Her seductive features include her hair, which is red as a rose, and her face, which is white and red. In her ears there are six earrings of Egyptian fabric. On her neck hang all the powers of Eastern lands. Her mouth is decorated by a small slit of a comely shape; her tongue is sharp as a sword; her speech as smooth as oil; and her lips as beautiful and red as a rose. Wearing purple and having forty decorations less one, she is sweeter than all that is sweet in the world.

26. תִּקּוּנִין דִּילָהּ, לְפַתָּאָה לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא: שַׂעֲרָהָא מְתַקְנִין סוּמְקָן כְּוַורְדָא, אַנְפָּהָא חִוְורִין וְסוּמְקִין, בְּאוּדְנָהָא תַּלְיָין שִׁיתָּא תִּקּוּנִין אַטוּנָא דְמִצְרַיִם, תַּלְיָין עַל קַדְלָהָא כָּל חֵילֵי דְאַרְעָא דְּקָדָם, פִּיהָ מִתְתַּקְנָא בִּפְתִיחוּ דַּקִּיק יָאֶה בְּתִקּוּנָהָא, לִישָׁנָא חֲדִידָא כְּחַרְבָּא, שְׁעִיעָן מִלָּהָא כְּמִשְׁחָא, שִׂפְוָוהָא יָאָן סוּמְקִין כְּוַורְדָא, מְתִיקוּ בְּכָל מְתִיקוּ דְעַלְמָא, אַרְגְּוְונָא לְבָשַׁת, אִתְתַּקָּנַת בְּאַרְבָּעִין תִּקּוּנִין, חָסֵר חַד.

Body Eyes Fire Garments Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Point Soul, The Sword Wine

27. The fool follows her, drinks of her wine, and fornicates with her. What does she do? She leaves him sleeping in his bed, goes up to denounce him, and receives permission TO KILL HIM. She then descends ON HIM. The fool awakes thinking of lusting after her, as before. At this point, she has taken off the decorations and has become a mighty oppressor who wears a garment of burning fire that causes great horror and frightens the body and soul. That oppressor has horrible eyes and a sharp sword on which there are bitter drops. The oppressor kills the fool and throws him into Gehenom.

27. שַׁטְיָא סָטֵי אֲבַתְרָהָא, וְשָׁתֵי מִכַּסָּא דְחַמְרָא, וַעֲבֵיד בָּהּ נִיאוּפִין, וְאַסְטֵי אֲבַתְרָהּ. מָה עָבְדַת, שַׁבְקַת לֵיהּ נָאִים בְּעַרְסָא, וְסָלְקַת לְעֵילָא, וְאַלְשִׁינַת עֲלֵיהּ, וְנָטְלָא רְשׁוּ, וְנַחֲתָא, אִתְעַר הַהוּא שַׁטְיָא, וְחָשַׁב לְחַיְיכָא בַּהֲדָהּ כְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וְהִיא אַעֲדִיאַת תִּקּוּנָהָא מִינָהּ, וְאִתְהַדְּרַת גִּיבַּר תַּקִּיף קָאֵים לְקִבְלֵיהּ, לָבֵישׁ לְבוּשָׁא דְּנוּרָא מְלַהֲטָא, בִּדְחִילוּ תַּקִּיף מְרַתְתָא גַּרְמָא וְנַפְשָׁא. מַלְיָיא דְּעַיְינִין דַּחֲלָן, חַרְבָּא שְׁנָנָא בִּידֵיהּ, טִיפִּין מְרִירָן תַּלְיָין מֵהַהוּא חַרְבָּא, קָטֵיל לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא שַׁטְיָא, וְאַרְמֵי לֵיהּ לְגוֹ גֵּיהִנֹּם.

Grades Haran Head Hebrew Letters House Israel Jacob Judgment Land of Yisrael Male Pillar Samael

28. Jacob went down to her, TO THE WIFE OF HARLOTRY, and went to her place, as it is written, "and went toward Charan," A PLACE OF WRATH AND JUDGMENTS. He saw all the decoration of her house there and was saved from her, AND SO HE RETURNED TO THE Land of Yisrael. Her male, Samael, was vexed THAT HE WAS SAVED FROM HER. He came down to fight with him but to no avail, as it is written, "and there wrestled a man with him..." (Beresheet 32:25). Then was he saved from them all, completely perfected, and raised by a whole grade. And he was named Yisrael, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE LETTERS LI-ROSH (LIT. 'IT IS MY HEAD'). Wholly perfected, he became the middle pillar, of which it is written, "And the middle bar..." (Shemot 26:28).

28. יַעֲקֹב נָחַת לְגַבָּהּ, וַאֲזַל לְאַתְרָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיֵּלֶךְ חָרָנָה, וְחָמָא כָּל תִּקּוּן בֵּיתָא, וְאִשְׁתְּזֵיב מִינָהּ. דְּכוּרָא דִילָהּ סמא"ל, אַבְאֵישׁ קַמֵּיהּ, וְנָחַת לַאֲגָחָא בֵּיהּ קְרָבָא, וְלָא יָכֵיל לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּאָבֶק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ וגו.' כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּזֵיב מִכֹּלָּא, וְאִשְׁתְּלֵים בִּשְׁלִימוּ, וְאִסְתַּלַּק בְּדַרְגָּא שְׁלִים, וְאִתְקְרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. כְּדֵין סָלֵיק בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה, וְאִשְׁתְּלֵים בְּכֹלָּא, וַהֲוָה עַמּוּדָא דְאֶמְצָעִיתָא, וַעֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב וְהַבְּרִיחַ הַתִּכוֹן וגו.'

Aaron Boards Jacob Nadab and Abihu Thigh

29. מַהוּ וַיִּגַּע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ, לֵיהּ לָא יָכִיל, אֲבָל נָגַע בְּכַף יְרֵכוֹ, דְּאִינְהוּ נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא, דְּנָפְקוּ מִן יַרְכוֹ דְאַהֲרֹן, וְעַל יַעֲקֹב כְּתִיב וְהַבְּרִיחַ הַתִּיכוֹן בְּתוֹךְ הַקְּרָשִׁים מַבְרִיחַ מִן הַקָּצֶה אֶל הַקָּצֶה. (עד כאן סתרי תורה)