Vayishlach
Congregation Hands Shechinah Strength Torah Tree Tree of Life

179. Come and behold. HE ASKS, In the verse, "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small" (Mishlei 24:10), what is the meaning of "you faint?" HE REPLIES, A man whose hands do not firmly hold on to the Holy One, blessed be He, to receive strength from Him. A man can be strengthened by stronger association with the Torah, for whoever is strengthened by the Torah holds more firmly to the Tree of Life, thereby giving power and strength to the Congregation of Yisrael, THE SHECHINAH.

179. תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב, הִתְרַפִּיתָ בְּיוֹם צָרָה צַר כֹּחֶכָה. מַאי הִתְרַפִּיתָ. מַאן דְּאִתְרַפֵּי יְדוֹי מִקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּלָא לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא בֵּיהּ. וְהֵיךְ יִתְקַף בַּר נָשׁ בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. יַתְקֵיף בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּכָל מַאן דְּאִתְתַּקַּף בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אִתְתַּקַּף בְּאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי, כִּבְיָכוֹל, יְהַב תּוּקְפָא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְאִתְתַּקְפָא.

Shechinah Strength Torah

180. But if he relaxes his hold on the Torah, then he faints, and if he is faint in his hold on the Torah, then "in the day of adversity," his "strength is small." When trouble comes, he presses (meaning?) the Shechinah, which is the power of the world.

180. וְאִי הוּא יִתְרַפֵּא מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא, מַה כְּתִיב, הִתְרַפִּיתָ, אִי אִיהוּ אִתְרַפֵּי מִן אוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּיוֹם צָרָה צַר כֹּחֶכָה, בְּיוֹמָא דְיֵיתֵי לֵיהּ עָקוּ, כִּבְיָכוֹל דָּחִיק לָהּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא, דְּאִיהוּ חֵילָא דְעַלְמָא.

Soul, The Strength Torah

181. Another explanation of the phrase, "your strength is small," is that when a man is faint in his hold on the Torah and walks a crooked path, many enemies wait to oppress him in a day of adversity. Even his own soul, his power and strength, become his foes and enemy. HE EXPLAINED THE WORDS, "YOUR STRENGTH IS SMALL (HEB. TZAR)," AS "YOUR STRENGTH IS AN ENEMY (HEB. TZAR)," WHICH REFERS TO HIS SOUL, WHICH REFLECTS A MAN'S STRENGTH.

181. ד"א צַר כֹּחֶכָה, תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְבַר נָשׁ אִתְרַפֵּי מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְאָזֵיל בְּאָרְחָא דְלָא כַשְׁרָא, כַּמָּה בַּעֲלֵי דְבָבוּ זְמִינִין לֵיהּ, לִמֶהֱוֵי לֵיהּ קַטֵּיגוֹרִין בְּיוֹמָא דְעָקוּ. וַאֲפִילּוּ נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ, דְּאִיהוּ חֵילָא וְתוֹקְפָא דִילֵיהּ, אִיהוּ מָארֵי דְבָבוּ לְקִבְלֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב צַר כֹּחֶכָה, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ צַר לְגַבֵּיהּ.

Angels Evil Job Torah

182. Rabbi Aba said that when a man walks the path of the Torah and his ways are duly straight, many advocates stand ready to speak well of him. He opened the discussion with the verse, "If there be an angel over him, an intercessor, one among a thousand, to vouch for a man's uprightness, then He is gracious to him, and says, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom" (Iyov 33:23-24). We should study these verses carefully. Is not all revealed before the Holy One, blessed be He? Does He need an angel to announce before Him good and evil?

182. אֲמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְבַּר נָשׁ אָזֵיל בְּאָרְחֵי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְכָל אָרְחוֹי מִתְתַּקְּנָן כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, כַּמָּה סָנֵיגוֹרִין קָיְימִין עֲלֵיהּ, לְאַדְכָּרָא לֵיהּ לְטַב. פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אָלֶף לְהַגִּיד לְאָדָם יָשְׁרוֹ וַיְחֻנֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שַׁחַת מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר. הַנֵּי קְרָאֵי אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא בְּהוֹ, וְכִי לָא אִתְגְּלֵי כֹּלָּא קַמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאִיהוּ צָרִיךְ לְמַלְאכָא, דְּיֵימָא קַמֵּיהּ טַב אוֹ בִישׁ.

Angels Mercy Sin

183. HE ANSWERS, ALTHOUGH HE KNOWS EVERYTHING, He surely requires AN ANGEL TO AROUSE MERCY, because when a man has good intercessors who remind the Holy One, blessed be He, of his merits, and no one who speaks of his sins, then "He is gracious to him, and says, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom."

183. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אִצְטְרִיךְ, דְּכַד אִית לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ סַנֵּיגוֹרִין, לְאַדְכָּרָא זְכוּ דִידֵיהּ קַמֵּיהּ, וְלָא אִית לֵיהּ קַטֵּיגוֹרִין, כְּדֵין וַיְחֻנֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שַׁחַת מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר.

Angels Hands Ten

184. Come and behold, this verse clarifies the matter. It is written, "If there be an angel over him," which should be sufficient. Yet it continues, "an intercessor, one among a thousand." WE SHOULD THEREFORE FIND OUT who he is. HE SAID, This is the angel whose duty it is to be on the left side of man, as it is written, "A thousand shall fall at your side" (Tehilim 91:7). We know this to be the left side from the following words, "and ten thousand at your right hand," (Ibid.) WHICH MEANS THAT "AT YOUR SIDE" (WHICH APPEARS EARLIER) REFERS TO THE LEFT SIDE.

184. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּהַאי קְרָא תִּשְׁכַּח בְּרִירָא דְמִלָּה, כְּתִיב אִם יֵשׁ עָלָיו מַלְאָךְ, אִי לָא כְתִיב יַתִּיר, יָאוֹת הוּא. אֲבָל מַלְאָךְ מֵלִיץ אֶחָד מִנִּי אָלֶף כְּתִיב, וּמַאן אִיהוּ. דָּא הוּא מַלְאָךְ, דִּמְמַנָּא עִמֵּיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ, בִּסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, דִּכְתִיב יִפֹּל מִצִּדְךָ אֶלֶף, וְדָא הוּא סִטְרָא דִשְׂמָאלָא, דִּכְתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ וּרְבָבָה מִימִינֶךָ.

Demons Evil Evil Inclination

185. The "one among a thousand" is the Evil Inclination, one of the thousand DEMONS of the left side. He ascends to receive permission TO COME DOWN AND KILL. But when a man walks the path of righteousness, the Evil Inclination becomes his servant, as it is written, "Better is one lightly esteemed who owns a servant" (Mishlei 12:9). He then ascends and becomes his advocate, recalling his merits before the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Holy One, blessed be He, says, "Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom."

185. אֲבָל אֶחָד מִנִּי אֶלֶף, דָּא הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, דְּאִיהוּ אֶחָד מֵאִנּוּן אֶלֶף, דַּהֲווֹ לִסְטַר שְׂמָאלָא, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ סָלֵיק לְעֵילָא, וְנָטֵיל רְשׁוּ. וְע"ד, אִי בַּר נָשׁ אָזֵיל בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט, הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, אִיהוּ עֶבֶד לוֹ, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר דִּכְתִיב טוֹב נִקְלֶה וְעֶבֶד לוֹ, כְּדֵין אִיהוּ סָלֵיק, וְאִתְעֲבֵיד סַנֵּיגוֹרָא, וַאֲמַר קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זְכוּ עֲלֵיהּ דְּבַּר נָשׁ. כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אֲמַר, פְּדָעֵהוּ מֵרֶדֶת שָׁחַת.

Evil Evil Inclination Sin Soul, The

186. With all that, the Evil Inclination does not return empty-handed. Another man is delivered to him, one whose soul he may take because this man's sins are already known. HE IS CHARGED FOR THEM and is held ransom for the man who escaped. This is the meaning of the sentence, "I have found a ransom," (to redeem him).

186. וְעִם כָּל דָּא, לָא אַהֲדַר בְּרֵיקַנְיָא, בְּגִין דְּאִתְיְהֵיב לֵיהּ אָחֳרָא, לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלוֹי, וְלִיטּוֹל נִשְׁמָתֵיהּ מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאַקְדֵּים חוֹבוֹי דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ, וְאִיהוּ כֹּפֶר עַל הַאי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב מָצָאתִי כֹּפֶר לְמִפְדֵי לֵיהּ.

Angels Gehenom (Hell) Hell (Gehenom) Merit

187. Another explanation of the words, "I have found a ransom," is that THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, SAYS TO THE ANGEL: The merit you mentioned shall be THAT MAN'S ransom. It will redeem him from dying and going down to Gehenom. Therefore, it behooves a man to walk the path of Truth, so that his accuser shall turn into his advocate.

187. ד"א מָצָאתִי כֹפֶר, הַהוּא זְכוּ דַּאֲמַרְתְּ, אִיהוּ עֲלֵיהּ כֹּפֶר, לְמִפְדֵי לֵיהּ. דְּלָא יֵחוֹת לַגֵּיהִנֹּם, וְלָא יְמוּת. וְעַל דָּא מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַּר נָשׁ, לְמֵיהַךְ בְּאֹרַח קְשׁוֹט, וּבְגִין דִּיְהֵא לֵיהּ הַהוּא קַטֵּיגוֹרָא, סַנֵּיגוֹרָא.

Bread Evil Evil Inclination Goats Samael Solomon Water Yom Kippur

188. Similarly, Yisrael employ such means on Yom Kippur, by giving THE EVIL INCLINATION, SAMAEL, a goat, NAMELY, A SCAPEGOAT, and thus engaging it until it becomes their servant and ascends to testify before the Holy One, blessed be He, as their intercessor. Solomon said of the Evil Inclination, "If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat: and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink" (Mishlei 25:21).

188. כְּגַוְונָא דָא, יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיוֹמָא דְכִפּוּרֵי, דְּיַהֲבֵי לֵיהּ שָׂעִיר, וְאִתְעַסִּיקוּ בַּהֲדֵיהּ, עַד דְּאִתְהֲדַר עֶבֶד לְהוֹ, וְסָלֵיק וְסָהֵיד סַהֲדוּתָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִתְעֲבֵיד לְהוֹ סַנֵּיגוֹרָא. וְעַל דָּא אֲמַר שְׁלֹמֹה, אִם רָעֵב שׂנַאֲךָ הַאֲכִילֵהוּ לֶחֶם וְאִם צָמֵא הַשְׁקֵהוּ מַיִם. וְעַל הַאי יֵצֶר הָרָע אִתְּמָר.