"his eyes were dim, so that he could not see"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar discuss differences in the eyesight of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as they grow older, and the significance of this for our realm of Malchut and the supernal mysteries. The patriarchs were connected to Left Column, which denotes judgement and darkness. This is the secret meaning behind the concept of blindness in the Torah. Isaac embodied a complete connection to the Left Column; therefore, we are told that he is totally blind. Jacob's connection to both the Right and Left Columns is indicated by his only partial blindness.

Relevance

Our physical bodies are directly affected by our connection to the Light during our lives. These effects can be both positive and negative. Illness and health are merely expressions of how we balance the Right and Left Columns - sharing and receiving - throughout our lives. We are often judgmental [Left Column] during moments when we should be merciful [Right Column] and vice-versa. The following passage awakens the wisdom within us to balance these two Columns.

Darkness Faith Isaac Light Nukva Torah

118. "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old" (Beresheet 27:1). Rabbi Shimon said, It is written, "And Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night" (Beresheet 1:5). This verse had already been explained; nevertheless come and behold, All the actions that the Holy One, blessed be He, performs, are true, and in the secret of the upper world. And all the words of the Torah are words of faith, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA, and supernal mysteries, WHICH ILLUMINATE IT as they should.

118. וַיְהִי כִּי זָקֵן יִצְחָק. אָמַר רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן כְּתִיב, וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה, הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ וְאִתְּמָר. אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל עוֹבָדוֹי דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כֻּלְּהוּ אִינוּן מִלִּין דִּקְשׁוֹט, וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה, וְכָל מִלּוֹי דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, כֻּלְּהוּ מִלֵּי מְהֵימְנוּתָא, וְרָזִין עִלָּאִין, כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת.

Abraham Chassadim Eyes Faith Isaac Light Merit

119. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, לָא זָכָה יִצְחָק כְּאַבְרָהָם, דְּלָא סָמוּ עֵינוֹי, וְלָא כָּהוּ. אֲבָל רָזָא עִלָּאָה אִיהוּ הָכָא, רָזָא דִּמְהֵימְנוּתָא, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר, דִּכְתִיב וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם, דָּא אַבְרָהָם, דְּאִיהוּ נְהוֹרָא דִימָמָא, וּנְהוֹרָא דִילֵיהּ אָזֵיל וְנָהֵיר, וְאִתְתַּקַּף בְּתִקּוּנָא דְיוֹמָא.

Abraham Chassadim Darkness Eyes Grades Isaac Light Lights

120. Thus, it is written, "And Abraham was old, advanced in age" (Beresheet 24:1), that is, in the shining lights OF CHASSADIM. And he is old, as it is written, "that shines ever more brightly until the height of noonday" (Mishlei 4:18). Therefore IT IS WRITTEN OF HIM, "And Elohim called the light Day." "And the darkness he called Night." This is Isaac, who is dark, and gets DARKER to receive the night within him. Therefore, when he grew older, it is written, "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see" (Beresheet 27:1). FOR HE BECAME COMPLETELY DARK. Assuredly he had to be COMPLETELY dark, to cleave well to his grade.

120. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, מַה כְּתִיב, וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים, בְּאִינוּן נְהוֹרִין דְּנָהֲרִין, וְאִיהוּ סִיב, כְּדָּבָר אֲחֵר הוֹלֵךְ וְאוֹר עַד נְכוֹן הַיּוֹם, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם. וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה, דָּא יִצְחָק, דְּאִיהִי חֹשֶׁךְ, וְאִיהוּ אָזֵיל לְקַבְּלָא לֵילְיָא בְּגַוֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אִיהוּ כַּד סִיב, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיְהִי כִּי זָקֵן יִצְחָק וַתִּכְהֶיןָ עֵינָיו מֵרְאוֹת. הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּבָעָא לְאִתְחַשְּׁכָא, וּלְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּדַרְגֵּיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת.

Abraham Blind Darkness Eyes Grades Hands Isaac Jacob Nukva

121. Rabbi Elazar, his son, kissed his hands and said, This is well. Abraham shines on the side of his grade, and Isaac is darkened on the side of his grade. But why did Jacob GROW DARKER, as it is written, "Now the eyes of Yisrael were dim (lit. 'heavy') from age" (Beresheet 48:10). He answers, Assuredly it is AS I SAID, for it is written, "heavy," and not dim, AS WAS WRITTEN OF ISAAC; It is written "from age", not 'his age.' "From age" is to be interpreted as the age of Isaac, FOR HE INCLUDED BOTH ABRAHAM AND ISAAC. THEREFORE on the side OF ISAAC his eyes "were heavy...so that he could not see" (Ibid.), not properly, but he was not absolutely blind. But Yitzchak's eyes were completely dim, and it became darkness, for night, WHICH IS THE NUKVA, clove to him and it was fulfilled, "and the darkness he called Night."

121. אֲתָא רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ, וּנְשֵׁיק יְדוֹי. אָמַר לוֹ שַׁפִּיר. אַבְרָהָם נָהֵיר, מִסִּטְרָא דְּדַרְגָּא דִילֵיהּ, יִצְחָק אִתְחֲשָׁךְ, מִסִּטְרָא דְּדַרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ, יַעֲקֹב אַמַּאי? דִּכְתִיב וְעֵינֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּבְדוּ מִזֹּקֶן. אָמַר לוֹ הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, כָּבְדוּ כְּתִיב, וְלֹא כָּהוּ. מִזֹּקֶן כְּתִיב, וְלָא מִזִּקְנוֹ, אֶלָּא מִזֹּקֶן, מִזֹּקֶן דְּיִצְחָק, מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא כָּבְדוּ. לֹא יוּכַל לִרְאוֹת, לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא כִּדְקָא חָזֵי, אֲבָל לֹא כָּהוּ. אֲבָל יִצְחָק, כָּהוּ וַדַּאי מִכֹּל וָכֹל, וְאִתְעֲבֵיד חֹשֶׁךְ, דְּהָא כְּדֵין אִתְאֲחֵיד בֵּיהּ לַיְלָה, וְאִתְקַיָּים וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה.