Change of name, change of place, change of deed

69. Adam's sin was therefore against, "And Hashem Elohim commanded..." (Beresheet 2:16). We explained that "command" refers to idolatry. Since he sinned in idolatry, He formed him, THAT IS, HE CAUSED HIM TO INCARNATE in Terah's drop of semen, in which he vexed (Heb. ratach), NAMELY ANGERED, the Holy One, blessed be He, thus transgressing in idolatry, SINCE TERAH WAS IDOLATROUS. FROM A DROP OF HIS SEMEN CAME ABRAHAM, WHO WAS AN INCARNATION OF THE FIRST MAN. ABRAHAM did penance and smashed the images of idols and all the victuals PLACED BEFORE THEM. He mended the sins OF ADAM AND TERAH, and smashed the sin and the evil edifice he built, NAMELY THE EDIFICE OF THE KLIPOT OF ADAM, CAUSED TO BE BUILT BY HIS SIN. And he made the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Shechinah to rule over the whole world.

70. HE ASKS: How DID HE MAKE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, AND HIS SHECHINAH RULERS OF THE WORLD? AND HE ANSWERS: By sanctifying His Name in public, and by going into the fire to be burned, so that the words would be fulfilled IN ADAM, that say, "The carvings of their Elohim shall you burn with fire" (Devarim 7:25). THIS MEANS, SINCE ADAM WORSHIPPED IDOLS, HE WAS CONSIDERED AS THE CARVINGS OF THEIR ELOHIM. Furthermore, he caused his father, Terah, to repent and brought him, his mother, and all the rulers of that age to the Garden of Eden. He was thus purified like silver by fire, like the king's SILVER coin that was forged with a mixture of lead. He was therefore put in fire, and the lead came out, which is Ishmael. Ishmael therefore was mocking and worshipped idols, while Adam remained purified by fire. This is the change of name, FOR HIS NAME WAS CHANGED FROM ADAM TO ABRAHAM. For when Adam was incarnated, he had to undergo a change of name, change of place, and change of deed, AS FOLLOWS.

71. Then came Isaac, and he became stronger through him, THAT IS, ADAM WAS INCARNATED IN HIM AND OVERCAME the second transgression, of which it says, "the man," which refers to bloodshed. THIS IS AN EXPLANATION OF THE VERSE, "AND HASHEM ELOHIM COMMANDED THE MAN SAYING..." (BERESHEET 2:16). "COMMANDED" REFERS TO IDOLATRY, "THE MAN," TO BLOODSHED, AND "SAYING," TO INCEST. HE TRANSGRESSED THEM ALL. This brought the trial of Isaac by knife, NAMELY THE SACRIFICE OF ISAAC, OF WHICH IT SAYS, "AND TOOK THE KNIFE TO SLAY HIS SON" (BERESHEET 22:10). ADAM was cleansed by him, as food is picked from refuse. And the refuse came out, which is Esau who sheds blood, AND THE FOOD, JACOB, CAME OUT CLEANSED FROM REFUSE. THIS IS WHAT IS WRITTEN: JACOB HAD THE GRACE OF ADAM BECAUSE IN JACOB, HE CAME OUT CLEANSED AND PURIFIED FROM ALL REFUSE.

72. Then came Jacob, THE ASPECT OF GOODNESS AND THE FOOD PICKED FROM THE FIRST MAN, who formed AND ATTACHED it to Laban and became his servant. Hence it says, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel" (Beresheet 29:18). Since he exchanged her with her sister, he served an additional seven years, in order to remove the two drops Adam spilt in a foreign place - MEANING THE TWO FEMALE SPIRITS THAT MATED WITH HIM AFTER HE SEPARATED FROM EVE. This is incest, alluded to in the word "saying" (Beresheet 2:16). He took them out of Laban the Arammian, WHO IS OF THE ASPECT OF the serpent.

73. Through these three, ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB, Adam obtained a change of name, a change of place, and a change of action. He obtained a change of name through Abraham, a change of place through Isaac, and a change of action through Jacob. And if it was said of him, "then He saw it, and declared it; HE ESTABLISHED IT, YEA, AND SEARCHED IT OUT. AND TO MAN (LIT. 'ADAM') HE SAID" (Iyov 28:27-28), that if He accepted his repentance, all the more so that of others, WHO ARE NOT AS GREAT.

74. Therefore, for a good servant, the place brings it about, and for an evil servant, also THE PLACE BRINGS IT ABOUT, but as for other servants, "they shall be your bondsmen for ever" (Vayikra 25:46). The deans of the Yeshivah rose and said, "Happy is that people, that is in such a case (Heb. shecachah)" (Tehilim 144:15). The numerical value of 'shecachah' is as that of Moses, NAMELY THE FAITHFUL SHEPHERD. The Faithful Shepherd rose and said, "Happy are those people, whose Elohim is Hashem" (Ibid.). End of Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd).