"And Elohim came to Abimelech"

Synopsis

Rabbi Acha tells us that when Elohim is mentioned it always means the minister appointed over them, as in the title verse. The question arises of who is being sinned against in "for I also withheld you from sinning against me." Rabbi Shimon offers the explanation that a people's minister above is removed from power as a result of the sins they committed below. The sins of men always cause a defect above, namely, that they end the rule of their minister above. For this reason an offering must be brought.

Abimelech Dreams

105. Rabbi Acha opened the discussion with the verses: "And Elohim came to Abimelech in a dream by night" (Beresheet 20:3) and "Elohim said to him in a dream, I too know that you did do this in the integrity of your heart" (Ibid. 6). THE WORDS, "And Elohim came to Abimelech" make us ask why the difference between the nations of the worlds, of which it says, "And Elohim came" and Yisrael, of which it does not say, "AND ELOHIM CAME." HE ANSWERS, We have so learned that every "Elohim" mentioned here is that power, the minister appointed over them, just as "Elohim came to Bilaam at night" (Bemidbar 22:20) is also the power appointed over him.

105. ר' אֲחָא פָּתַח, וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל אֲבִימֶלֶךְ בַּחֲלוֹם הַלָּיְלָה, וּכְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הָאֱלֹהִים בַּחֲלוֹם גַּם אָנֹכִי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי בְתָם לְבָבְךָ עָשִׂיתָ זֹּאת. הַאי וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל אֲבִימֶלֶךְ, מַאי שְׁנָא בְּאוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם, וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים, וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל לָא. אֶלָּא הָכִי תָּנֵינָן, כָּל אֱלֹהִים דְּהָכָא, הַהוּא חֵילָא רַבְרְבָא דִּמְמָנָא עָלַיְיהוּ הֲוָה, כְּגַוְונָא דָּא וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל בִּלְעָם לַיְלָה, הַהוּא חֵילָא דְּאִתְפְּקַד עָלֵיהּ.

Dreams Sin

106. If you say that in the verse: "And Elohim said to him in a dream...FOR I ALSO WITHHELD YOU FROM SINNING AGAINST ME" (Beresheet 20:6), of necessity THE WORDS "SINNING AGAINST ME" ALLUDE TO THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. HE ANSWERS, Surely IT ONLY ALLUDES TO HIS MINISTER. HE EXPLAINS THE WORDS: "I too know:" Why does it say here "too?" It stands for an addition. Though it is known to higher than me, I too know. In "for I also withheld," the word "also" stands for an addition; THOUGH YOU WERE WITHHELD FROM ABOVE, I ALSO WITHHELD YOU. "You from sinning (Heb. mechato) against Me:" The word "Mechato" has a defective spelling without Aleph. HE ASKS, What is He implying? The sin is not against the minister BUT AGAINST THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, SO WHY DID HE SAY, "FROM SINNING AGAINST ME?"

106. וְאִי תֵּימָא וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הָאֱלֹהִים בַּחֲלוֹם. הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, גַּם אָנֹכִי יָדַעְתִּי, גַּם אֲמַאי הָכָא. אֶלָּא לְרַבּוֹת קָא אָתָא, דאע"ג דִּלְעֵילָּא מִנַּאי יְדִיעַ, גַּם אָנֹכִי יָדַעְתִּי. וָאֶחְשׁוֹךְ גַּם אָנֹכִי, גַּם לְרַבּוֹת, אוֹתְךָ מֵחֲטוֹ לִי, מֵחֲטוֹ חָסֵר אָלֶף כְּתִיב, מַאי קָאָמַר בְּגִין דְּחַטָּאָה לָאו בְּחֵילָא קַיְּימָא.

Flesh Sin

107. HE ANSWERS, We have learned that it was for the sins of people below that a blemish was caused above. It is for the sins of the people below that their minister above was removed from power. Hence, it says, "I also withheld you." Though this depends on higher than me, "I also withheld you" includes himself, FOR HE TOO WITHHELD HIM "from sinning (Heb. mechato) against me." Thus YOUR SINS shall not be on me like a needle (Heb. machat) stuck in the flesh, so that you shall not cause by your sin that my rule be ended and that they will abhor me like a needle stuck in the flesh, as written, "I abhorred (Heb. akutz) them" (Vayikra 20:23) like thorns (Heb. kotz) stuck in the flesh. What does that teach us? It teaches us that the sins of men cause a defect above. What is THE DEFECT? It is like the verse: "And for your transgressions was your mother put away" (Yeshayah 50:1). THE TRANSGRESSIONS OF THE NATIONS, TOO, BLEMISH THEIR MINISTER IN THAT HIS RULE IS ENDED.

107. אֶלָּא הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא, בְּחוֹבֵיהוֹן דְּעַמָּא דִּלְתַתָּא, אִתְפְּגִים לְעֵילָּא. בְּחוֹבֵי עַמָּא דִּלְתַתָּא, אִתְעַבָּר רַבְרְבָא דִּלְהוֹן דִּלְעֵילָּא מִשּׁוּלְטָנֵיהּ. הה"ד וָאֶחְשׁוֹךְ גַּם אָנֹכִי אוֹתְךָ, דאע"ג דִּלְעֵילָּא מִנַּאי תַּלְיָא מִלְּתָא, גַּם אָנֹכִי לְרַבּוֹת לְגַרְמֵיהּ, מֵחֲטוֹ לִי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתְּכָחוּ גַּבָּאי, כְּהַאי מַחַט דְּנָעִיץ בְּבִשְׂרָא, דְּלָא תִּגְרוֹם לִי אַתְּ בְּחוֹבָךְ לְאַעְבְּרָא לִי מִשׁוּלְטָנִי, וִיקוּצוּן בִּי, דְּלָא תָּקוֹץ לִי בְּמַחֲטָךְ, כד"א וָאָקֻץ בָּם, כְּהָנֵי קוֹצִין דִּנְעִיצִין בְּבִשְׂרָא. מַאי מַשְׁמַע. מַשְׁמַע דִּבְחוֹבֵי בְּנֵי אֱנָשָׁא, עַבְדִּין פְּגִימוּ לְעֵילָּא, מַאי אִיהוּ. כד"א וּבְפִשְׁעֵכֶם שֻׁלְּחָה אִמְּכֶם.

Offering Sin Zeir Anpin

108. Due to this reason THAT THE SINS OF THE LOWER BEINGS CAUSE A DEFECT ABOVE, an offering is brought. What is an offering? We have explained it in relation to the words: "And for your transgressions was your mother put away." The sin causes separation BETWEEN ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT by its blemish, AS MALCHUT WAS SENT AWAY FOR THE SIN. The offering THAT IS BROUGHT brings near the supernal world, ZEIR ANPIN, and the lower world, MALCHUT, and all becomes one. Rabbi Aba and Rabbi Yehuda came and thanked Rabbi Acha.

108. וְעַ"ד קָרְבָּן אִתְקְרִיב, מַאי קָרְבָּן. הַאי דְּקַאמְרָן דִּכְתִּיב, וּבְפִשְׁעֲכֶם שֻׁלְּחָה אִמְּכֶם. דְּהָא חֵטְא גָּרִים פִּרוּדָא בְּחוֹבֵיהּ. קָרְבָּן קָרִיב עָלְמָא עִלָּאָה בְּעָלְמָא תַּתָּאָה וְאִתְעָבֵיד כֹּלָּא חַד. אָתוּ ר' אַבָּא וְר' יְהוּדָה, וְאוֹדוּ לֵיהּ לְרִבִּי אֲחָא.