Rabbi Chiya sees Elijah

Synopsis

In a dream of Rabbi Chiya's, the prophet Elijah announces the imminent destruction of the holy city within, if men cease to study Torah. When Rabbi Chiya wakes and discusses his dream with the sages, Rabbi Yesa comments that, although the wisdom of Torah watches over those who study it, the same is not true of "men who are strong in this world" - that is, who manifest the energy of the Left Column. Thus, the Holy City, in its external aspect, is doomed to destruction over and over again.

Relevance

The Talmud teaches us that the Temple was destroyed, not for lack of academic study of the Torah, but because of hatred for no reason and intolerance among the children of Israel. The spiritual meaning of "Torah study" concerns character transformation, not scholarship. Torah study is a means to an end-learning to love thy neighbor as thyself. Everything else, according to the sage Hillel, is merely commentary. Negative forces attempt to focus our attention on the study itself, arousing self-righteousness and self-importance. When this happens, the sages warn us, the Torah actually becomes poison to the body and soul. If we hold to our intolerant ways, the Temple will be destroyed repeatedly. Moreover, each year that the Temple is not rebuilt represents the spiritual equivalent of its destruction. The Light activated as we read these verses hastens the rebuilding of the Temple and the final redemption.

Destruction Elijah Field Jerusalem Jerusalem, Celestial Jerusalem, Terrestrial Judgment Nukva Samael Torah Tree Tree of Life Year Zeir Anpin

85. Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Chizkiyah were sitting underneath the trees in the field of Ono. Rabbi Chiya dozed and saw Elijah. RABBI CHIYA said TO ELIJAH: Because of my master showing the way, the field, THE NUKVA, is shining. ELIJAH said, I have come to announce that Jerusalem, together with the cities where the sages dwell, is about to be destroyed. For Jerusalem, THE NUKVA, is judgment and is established upon it, and judgment now calls for its destruction. And Samael has already been given power over it and over the powerful men of the world. I have come to let the wise men know so they can try to extend Jerusalem's years SO IT SHALL NOT BE DESTROYED; for as long as the Torah, which is the Tree of Life on which everything is maintained, dwells in it, it remains standing. Thus, as long as the Torah is awakened from below, AND MEN ARE OCCUPIED IN ITS STUDY, the Tree of Life, ZEIR ANPIN, does not leave the celestial JERUSALEM. When the Torah is no longer studied below, WHEN MEN ARE NOT OCCUPIED IN ITS STUDY, the Tree of Life, ZEIR ANPIN, is gone from the world (THE NUKVA, CALLED 'WORLD) AND ALSO JERUSALEM. THIS DOES NOT REFER TO TERRESTRIAL JERUSALEM SINCE THESE SAGES LIVED LONG AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM.

85. רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה, הֲווֹ יַתְבֵי תְּחוֹת אִילָנֵי, דַּחֲקַל אוֹנוֹ, אִדְמוּךְ רִבִּי חִיָּיא, חָמָא לֵיהּ לְאֵלִיָּהוּ, אֲמַר מַקְסְטִיטוּרָא דְמַר, חַקְלָא נָהֵיר. אֲמַר, הַשְׁתָּא אָתֵינָא לְאוֹדָעָא, דִּירוּשְׁלֵם קָרֵיב אִיהוּ לְאִתְחָרְבָא, וְכָל אִינוּן קַרְתִּין דַּחֲכִימַיָא, בְּגִין דִּירוּשְׁלֵם דִּינָא אִיהוּ, וְעַל דִּינָא קָיְימָא, וְעַל דִּינָא אִתְחָרַב, וְהָא, אִתְיְהֵיב רְשׁוּ לְסמא"ל עֲלָהּ, וְעַל תַּקִּיפֵי עַלְמָא, וְאָתֵינָא לְאוֹדָעָא לַחֲכִימַיָא דִּילְמָא יוֹרְכוּן שְׁנֵי דִּירוּשְׁלֵם, דְּהָא כָּל זִמְנָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִשְׁתַּכַּח בָּהּ, הִיא קָיְימָא, בְּגִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי דְּקָיְימֵי עֲלָהּ, כָּל זִמְנָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְעַר לְתַתָּא אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי לָא אַעֲדֵי לְעֵילָא, פָּסַק אוֹרַיְיתָא לְתַתָּא אִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי אִסְתַּלַּק מֵעָלְמָא.

Elijah Esau Hands Jacob Samael Torah Voice Zeir Anpin

86. וְעַל דָּא, כָּל זִמְנָא דַּחֲכִימַיָא יֶחֱדוּן בָּהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, לָא יָכֵיל סמא"ל בְּהוֹ, דְּהָא כְתִיב הַקּוֹל קוֹל יַעֲקֹב וְהַיָּדַיִם יְדֵי עֵשָׂו, דָּא הוּא אוֹרַיְיתָא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִקְרֵי קוֹל יַעֲקֹב, בְּעוֹד דְּהַהוּא קוֹל לָא פָּסַק, דִּבּוּר שָׁלְטָא וְיָכְלָא, וְעַל דָּא לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ אוֹרַיְיתָא לְמִפְסַק. וְאִתְעַר רִבִּי חִיָּיא, וַאֲזָלוּ וַאֲמָרוּ מִלָּה דָא, לַחֲכִימַיָא.

Elijah Nukva Tetragrammaton Torah Watchman Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH)

87. Rabbi Yesa stated that everybody knew WHAT ELIJAH SAID. IT WAS REVEALED TO THE SAGES THAT WHOEVER TURNS TOWARD THE LEFT DESTROYS THE NUKVA. This is so, as it is written, "Unless Hashem keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain" (Tehilim 127:1). The Holy City, THE NUKVA, is maintained by those who study the Torah, WHO CLEAVE TO THE CENTRAL COLUMN CALLED 'TORAH.' THEN, YUD HEI VAV HEI, THE SECRET OF THE CENTRAL COLUMN, PRESERVES THE CITY, and not by men who are strong in this world, THAT IS, WHO CLEAVE TO THE LEFT. As it is written, "Unless Hashem (THE CENTRAL COLUMN) keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain," FOR IT IS DESTINED TO BE DESTROYED, AS HAS BEEN EXPLAINED.

87. אֲמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא, כֹּלָּא יָדְעִין דָּא, וְהָכֵי הוּא, דִּכְתִיב אִם ה' לֹא יִשְׁמָר עִיר שָׁוְא שָׁקַד שׁוֹמֵר, אִלֵּין אִנּוּן דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלִין בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, קַרְתָּא קַדִּישָׁא קָיְימָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְלָא עַל גַּבְרִין תַּקִּיפִין דְּעָלְמָא, הַיְינוּ דִכְתִיב אִם ה' לֹא יִשְׁמָר עִיר וגו.'