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.

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?"

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.

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.