Vayetze: Chapter 41

"My offering, the provision of my sacrifices made by fire"

Synopsis

The man the Rabbis meet on the road enlightens them to the hidden benefits of giving charity.

Relevance

The wisdom and insight to recognize opportunities for sharing, combined with the motivation to give beyond our comfort zones is instilled within the reader. We must, however, be cognizant of the importance of concealed blessings. When one gives to receive honor and acclaim for his philanthropy, it is not considered true sharing. This passage awakens in our souls the prudence to give anonymously.

Fire Offering Offering, Daily Sacrifice

368. The Jew then opened the discussion with the verse, "My offering, the provision of my sacrifices made by fire" (Bemidbar 28:2). The daily sacrifice of the Holy One, blessed be He, sustains the world and gives nourishment above and below. Because there is stirring below AS A RESULT OF THE DAILY OFFERING, THE POURING OF PLENTY is bestirred above, and all are adequately sustained.

368. אַדְהָכֵי פְּתַח הַהוּא יוּדָאי וַאֲמַר, אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי לְאִשַּׁי וגו.' קָרְבָּנָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּכָל יוֹמָא, בְּגִין לְמֵיזַן עַלְמָא, וּלְמֵיהַב סִפּוּקָא לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, דְּהָא בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא, אִתְעַר לְעֵילָא, וּבְדָא מִסְתַּפְּקִין כָּל חַד וְחַד כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת.

Fire Food Honey Milk Offering Sacrifice Soul, The Wine

369. "My offering, the provision of my sacrifices" corresponds with the verse, "I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk" (Shir Hashirim 5:1); THEY BOTH ALLUDE TO SUSTENANCE. The words "made by fire," like, "Eat, O friends" (Ibid.) ALLUDE TO NOURISHMENT. The Holy One, blessed be He, provides that nourishment from above to pour down sustenance to the lower world from that nourishment ABOVE. How much more blessed is a man who gives food TO THE POOR, to sustain his soul; the Holy One, blessed be He, blesses him and showers on him supernal nourishment, and the world is blessed for him.

369. אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, אָכַלְתִּי יַעֲרִי עִם דִּבְשִׁי שָׁתִיתִי יֵינִי עִם חֲלָבִי. לְאִשַּׁי: הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, אִכְלוּ רֵעִים וגו,' וּמַה קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא פַּקֵּיד לְאִתְעָרָא מְזוֹנָא לְעֵילָא בְּגִין לְאִתְעָרָא מְזוֹנָא לְתַתָּא מֵהַהוּא מְזוֹנָא, מַאן דְיָהֵיב מְזוֹנָא לְקַיְימָא נַפְשָׁא, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרֵיךְ לֵיהּ, וְיִתְעַר לֵיהּ מְזוֹנָא דִלְעֵילָא, וְיִתְבָּרַךְ עַלְמָא בְּגִינֵיהּ.

Merit Thought

370. Rabbi Yitzchak said, HE EXPLAINED this mystery very well indeed. Rabbi Yesa replied, Surely this is why it has been said that a man should refrain from contempt toward any one, BECAUSE THOUGH AT FIRST THEY THOUGHT HIM BOORISH AND WERE CLOSE TO SHOWING HIM DISRESPECT, I twice attained merit through this man.

370. אֲמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, וַדַּאי רָזָא דָא כִּדְקָא חָזֵי, וְשַׁפִּיר קָאֲמַר. אֲמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא, וַדַּאי עַל דָּא אֲמָרוֹ, דְּלָא יְזַלְזֵל בַּר נָשׁ, לְשׁוּם בַּר נָשׁ אָחֳרָא בְּעַלְמָא, בִּתְרֵי גַוְונֵי זָכֵינָא לְהַאי בַּר נָשׁ.

Angels Congregation Fire Flow Nukva Offering Offering, Daily Sacrifice Zeir Anpin

371. The man discoursed on the following verse, as discussed by Rabbi Elazar, "My offering, the provisions of my sacrifices made by fire." "...An offering..." is the secret of the Congregation of Yisrael, THE NUKVA. The particle 'et' BEFORE "MY OFFERING" REFERS TO THE NUKVA. "...My offering (Heb. korbani)..." is derived from proximity (Heb. kirvah) and attachment. IT ATTACHES AND CONNECTS THE NUKVA WITH ZEIR ANPIN. "...The provision..." is the nourishment flowing from above, bestirred from below BY THE DAILY OFFERING. "...Made by fire..." comes to include the other angels that are nourished here, each according to his rank. "...For a sweet savour to me..." is the desire and union caused by the secret of the supernal world, BINAH.

371. פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, הַאי קְרָא אֲמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אֶת קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי לְאִשַּׁי, אֶת קָרְבָּנִי, רָזָא דִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב אֶת, אֶת דַּיְיקָא. קָרְבָּנִי: דָּא אִיהוּ קָרְבָּנָא, וְקִשּׁוּרָא לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא. לַחְמִי: דָּא מְזוֹנָא, דְּאָתֵי מִלְעֵילָא, בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא. לְאִשַּׁי: לְאִתְכְּלָלָא שְׁאָר חֵילִין אָחֳרָנִין, דְּאִצְטְרִיכוּ לְאִתְּזָנָא, כָּל חַד וְחַד כִּדְקָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ. רֵיחַ נִיחֹחִי: דָּא רְעוּתָא וְקִשּׁוּרָא, דְּאִתְאַחֲדָא כֹּלָּא, בְּרָזָא דְעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה.

Abraham Altar Fire Isaac Morning Offering Offering, Daily Water

372. "...Shall you observe to offer to Me in their due season..." (Bemidbar 28:2). HE ASKS, What is their season? HE ANSWERS, THE time when Abraham awoke to carry out the wishes OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, as it is written, "And Abraham rose early in the morning" (Beresheet 22:3), THE TIME OF THE MORNING OFFERING -- the time when Isaac was bound to the altar was at sunset, THE TIME FOR THE EVENTIDE DAILY OFFERING. Rabbi Yesa asked, Why, if there are two seasons, is it written "in their season" in the singular, instead of in the plural, SINCE THERE ARE TWO SEASONS? He replied, At the time OF THE OFFERING, fire was included within water, and water within fire, THE ATTRIBUTE OF ABRAHAM, WATER, WAS INCLUDED WITHIN THE ATTRIBUTE OF ISAAC, FIRE, AND VICE VERSA. It is therefore written, "in their season," in the singular, FOR THEY BECAME ONE.

372. תִּשְׁמְרוּ לְהַקְרִיב לִי בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ, מַאן מוֹעֲדוֹ, בִּזְמַן דְּאִתְעַר אַבְרָהָם, לְמֶעְבַּד רְעוּתֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר. וּבְזִמְנָא דְאִתְעֲקַד יִצְחָק עַל גַּבֵּי מַדְבְּחָא, דְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא, בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם הֲוָה. וַאֲמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא, אִי הָכֵי, הַאי דִכְתִיב בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ, בְּמוֹעֲדִים מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ. אָמַר לוֹ, הַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא, אִתְכְּלֵיל אֶשָׁא בְּמַיָא, וּמַיָא בְּאֶשָׁא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ.

Abraham Isaac Nukva Offering Zeir Anpin

373. Come and behold, of no offering is it written, "observe," as it is here in the phrase, "shall you observe to offer to Me." This is because "observe" is the secret of "keep," THE NUKVA, which needs to be summoned up TO ZEIR ANPIN, as it is written, "shall you observe to offer to Me," TO OFFER THE NUKVA "in their season," by right and left OF ZEIR ANPIN. These were explained above to be Abraham and Isaac. All this is in accordance with the supernal mystery.

373. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכָל קָרְבָּנִין, לָא כְתִיב כְּמָה דִכְתִיב הָכָא, תִּשְׁמְרוּ לְהַקְרִיב לִי. תִּשְׁמְרוּ: רָזָא דְשָׁמוֹר, דְּאִיהוּ צְרִיכָא לְקָרְבָא לְגַבֵּי עֵילָא, דִּכְתִיב תִּשְׁמְרוּ לְהַקְרִיב לִי בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ, בִּימִינָא וּשְׂמָאלָא, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר, בְּאַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק, וְכֹלָּא בְּרָזָא עִלָּאָה.

Hands Righteous World to Come, The

374. Rabbi Yesa said, Had I come only to hear these words, it was worth my while. Happy are Yisrael in this world and in the World to Come. Of this, the scripture says, "Your people also shall be all righteous, they shall inherit the land for ever; they shall be the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified" (Yeshayah 60:21).

374. אֲמַר רִבִּי יֵיסָא אִלְמָלֵא לָא אָתֵינָא הָכָא, אֶלָּא לְמִשְׁמַע מִלִּין אִלֵּין, דַּיִּי. זַכָּאִין אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּעַלְמָא דֵין, וּבְעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי. עַל דָּא כְּתִיב וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִרְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נֵצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר.

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