"And there wrestled a man with him"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon explains the difference between dust and earth. Dust is barren and less important than the earth, from which arises all the goodness of the world. When Rabbi Yehuda questions him about the meaning of the verse, "He raises the poor out of the dust ..." Rabbi Shimon explains that dust signifies both humility and the moon, when she is not united with Zeir Anpin. He then applies this metaphor to the children of Yisrael, who are ruled by dust in Exile. This dust resembles night. When light appears and shines, however, the children of Yisrael shall obtain power and the Kingdom of Glory.

Relevance

Without the Light of The Creator, man remains dark, barren, and as spiritually worthless as dust on the ground - because, like the moon, man has no Light of his own. Just as the moon derives its light from the sun, we receive our Light and spiritual sustenance from the realm of Zeir Anpin [the Upper Worlds]. When imbued with this Light, we receive divine fruits of goodness through our marriage partners, our children, and all of our endeavors in life.

Dust Earth Fire Fruit

87. וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ עִמּוֹ, מַאי וַיֵּאָבֵק. רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲמַר, מִן אָבָק. אָבָק טָפֵל לֶעָפָר, מַה בֵּין עָפָר לְאָבָק. דָּא אָבָק דְּאִשְׁתָּאַר מִן נוּרָא, וְלָא עֲבַד אִיבִּין לְעָלְמִין. עָפָר: דְכָל אִיבִּין נָפְקֵי מִנֵּיהּ, וְאִיהוּ כְּלָלָא, בְּעֵילָא וְתַתָּא.

Dust Earth Fruit Jacob Nukva Poor Samael Samuel Sun Wheel Zeir Anpin

88. Rabbi Yehuda said, If this is so, AND EARTH IS OF SUCH CONSEQUENCE, then what is THE MEANING OF THE VERSE, "He raises the poor out of the dust (lit. 'earth')" (I Shmuel 2:8)? He replies, Literally, IT MEANS HUMILITY. In such a way He raises the poor out of the earth - because THE NUKVA, CALLED 'EARTH,' has nothing of her own, BUT RECEIVES EVERYTHING FROM ZEIR ANPIN. Then out of the earth, WHICH POSSESSES NOTHING AS LONG AS IT IS NOT UNITED WITH ZEIR ANPIN, come the poor, who possess nothing. But out of earth, AT THE TIME OF UNION WITH ZEIR ANPIN, come all the fruits and goodness of the world. All that is done in the world is made from the earth, as it is written, "all are of the earth, and all return to earth" (Kohelet 3:20). We have learned that all is of the earth, even the wheel of the sun, but dust never produces fruits and plants. Therefore, "there wrestled a man," SAMAEL, who came out of the dust, HIS NUKVA, and rides upon it to accuse Jacob.

88. אֲמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, אִי הָכֵי, מַאי ממֵקִים מֵעָפָר דָּל. אָמַר לוֹ כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ, אֲבָל בְּהַאי גַוְונָא, מֵקִים מֵעָפָר דָּל, בְּגִין דְּלֵית לֵיהּ מִגַּרְמֵיהּ כְּלוּם, וּמֵהַהוּא עַפְרָא נְפַק דַּל, דְּלֵית לֵיהּ כְּלוּם, וּמֵהַהוּא עָפָר, כָּל אִיבִּין וְכָל טִיבוּ דְעַלְמָא נָפְקֵי מִנֵּיהּ, וּבֵיהּ אִתְעֲבִידוּ כָּל עוֹבָדִין דְּעַלְמָא, כְּמָה דִכְתִיב הַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר וְהַכֹּל שָׁב אֶל הֶעָפָר, וְתָנִינָן הַכֹּל הָיָה מִן הֶעָפָר, וַאֲפִילּוּ גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה. אֲבָל אָבָק, לָא עָבֵיד פֵּירִין וְאִיבִּין לְעָלְמִין, וּבְגִין כָּך וַיֵּאָבֵק אִישׁ, דְּאַתְיָא בְּהַהוּא אָבָק, וּרְכֵיב עֲלֵיהּ, בְּגִין לְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ לְיַעֲקֹב.

Daniel Dust Earth Exile Heaven Kingdom Light

89. "...Until the breaking of the day..." is the time when his power goes away and disappears, as will occur in the future. For the exile resembles the night; NAMELY, IT IS DARK, a time when the dust rules over Yisrael, and the people are thrown to the earth until light appears and daylight shines. Then Yisrael will have power and will be given the Kingdom, for they will be high saints, as it is written, "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him" (Daniel 7:27).

89. עַד עֲלוֹת הַשָּׁחַר, דְּאִתְעֲבַר שׁוּלְטָנוּתֵיהּ וְאִתְחַלַּף, וְכָךְ הוּא לְזִמְנָא דְאָתֵי, בְּגִין דְּגָלוּתָא הַשְׁתָּא, כְּלֵילְיָא דַמְיָא, וְאִיהוּ לֵילְיָא, וְשָׁלְטָא הַהוּא אָבָק עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִינוּן שְׁכִיבֵי לְעַפְרָא, עַד דְּיִסְתַּלַּק נְהוֹרָא, וְיִתְנְהַר יְמָמָא, וּכְדֵין יִשְׁלְטוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּלְהוֹן יִתְיְהֵיב מַלְכוּתָא, דְּאִינוּן קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין, כד"א וּמַלְכוּתָא וְשָׁלְטָנָא וּרְבוּתָא דִי מַלְכְוָת תְּחוֹת כָּל שְׁמַיָא יְהִיבַת לְעַם קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין מַלְכוּתֵהּ מַלְכוּת עָלַם וְכֹל שָׁלְטָנַיָא לֵהּ יִפְלְחוּן וְיִשְׁתַּמְּעוּן.