Lech Lecha: Chapter 13

"And Abraham went down to Egypt"

Synopsis

The Torah presents a story that concerns the patriarch Abraham entering into the land of Egypt. The Zohar reveals that Egypt is a code word pertaining to the depths of man's own negativity into which divine sparks of Light have fallen. The great spiritual leaders of history often descended into these negative regions to retrieve and elevate the sparks trapped within the dark recesses of our being.

Relevance

It goes against the grain of man's nature to look inward and reflect upon his own amoral attributes. Our five senses are steadfastly tuned towards the external environment around us. The introspection and self-scrutiny performed by the sages, serves as a timeless repository of energy available to us through the letters and lessons contained herein. We acquire the inner strength to go deep into our self and expel the hardhearted qualities from our character.

Abram Egypt Flow Garden of Eden Gold Pishon (River) Rivers

106. "And Abraham went down to Egypt to sojourn there" (Beresheet 12:10). Why did he go down to Egypt? Because it looked like the garden of Hashem, NAMELY THE GARDEN OF EDEN. As it is written, "like the garden of Hashem, like the land of Egypt..." (Beresheet 13:10). Because a river flows down on the right, as it is written, "The name of the first is Pishon; that is it which encompasses the whole land of Chavilah, where there is gold" (Beresheet 2:11).

106. וַיֵּרֶד אַבְרָם מִצְרַיְמָה לָגוּר שָׁם. מ"ט לְמִצְרַיִם. אֶלָּא, בְּגִין דְּשָׁקִיל לְגַן ה'. דִּכְתִיב, כְּגַן ה' כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, דְּתַמָּן שָׁקִיל וְנָחֵית חַד נַהֲרָא, דְּאִיהוּ לְיָמִינָא, דִּכְתִיב שֵׁם הָאֶחָד פִּישׁוֹן הוּא הַסּוֹבֵב אֶת כָּל אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הַזָּהָב.

Abraham Egypt Faith Famine Female Grades Judgment Male Mercy Mochin Nukva Pishon (River) Rivers Zeir Anpin

107. So Abraham achieved knowledge and complete faith, WHICH REFERS TO THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS CALLED FAITH. IT WAS CALLED COMPLETE FAITH AFTER IT HAD BEEN COMPLETED BY THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, FROM THE ASPECT OF BINAH THAT RETURNED TO CHOCHMAH. Abraham then wanted to become familiar with all the grades that are attached below. THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THOSE WHO CAN PASS ON THE ABUNDANCE FROM ABOVE DOWNWARDS, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH OF THE RIGHT COLUMN. And Egypt came from the right; FROM THE ASPECT OF THE RIVER OF PISHON, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH OF THE RIGHT COLUMN. Because of this, he went down to Egypt TO COLLECT ALL THE HOLY SPARKS, FROM THE ASPECT OF CHOCHMAH OF THE RIGHT COLUMN AND GET THEM OUT OF THERE. AFTER ACCOMPLISHING THIS, HE RETURNED TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL. THUS HE WAS FULL AND COMPLETED BY THE MOCHIN OF CHOCHMAH. Come and behold, famine only comes to the land when Mercy leaves Judgment. THIS MEANS WHEN ZEIR ANPIN, WHO IS THE SECRET OF MERCY, DEPARTS FROM THE NUKVA, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF JUDGMENT. BECAUSE THEN THE MATING OF THE MALE AND FEMALE IS DISTURBED, AND FAMINE IS FELT IN THE NUKVA, WHICH IS CALLED THE LAND.

107. וְאַבְרָהָם, כֵּיוָן דְּיָדַע, וְעָאל בְּהֵימְנוּתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא, בָּעָא לְמִנְדַע כָּל אִינוּן דַּרְגִּין, דְּאִתְאַחֲדָן לְתַתָּא. וּמִצְרַיִם הֲוָה נָטֵיל מִיָּמִינָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, נָחַת לְמִצְרַיִם. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, כַּפְנָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּאַרְעָא, אֶלָּא כַּד מִסְתַּלְּקֵי רַחֲמֵי מִן דִּינָא.

Egypt Grades Pharaoh, The Repentance

108. "And it came to pass, when he came (lit. 'caused to come') near to enter to Egypt..." (Beresheet 12:11). Rabbi Elazar said that THE VERSE STATES, "when he caused to come near," whereas it should have stated, 'When he came near.' Why does it say, "When he caused to come near?" This is similar to the verse, "And Pharaoh caused to come close..." (Shemot 14:10), WHICH MEANS that he brought Yisrael to come near to repentance. The same applies here, and so "caused to come near" MEANS THAT he brought himself to come near to the Holy One, blessed be He, as should properly be. "To enter into Egypt," MEANS to observe those grades, LOCATED IN EGYPT, and keep his distance from them, as well as to keep his distance from the worshippers of Egypt.

108. וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר הִקְרִיב לָבֹא מִצְרָיְמָה. אֲמַר ר"א, כַּאֲשֶׁר הִקְרִיב, כַּאֲשֶׁר קָרַב, מִבָּעֵי לֵיהּ, מַאי כַּאֲשֶׁר הִקְרִיב. אֶלָּא כְּדִכְתִיב, וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב, דְּאִיהוּ אַקְרֵיב לְהוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לִתְיוּבְתָּא. אוֹף הָכָא הִקְרִיב, דְּאַקְרִיב גַּרְמֵיהּ לְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת. לָבֹא מִצְרָיְמָה. לְאַשְׁגָּחָא בְּאִינוּן דַּרְגִּין, וּלְאִתְרַחֲקָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, וּלְאִתְרַחֲקָא מֵעוֹבְדֵי מִצְרַיִם.

Abram Egypt Hundred Sarah Year

109. Rabbi Yehuda said, Come and behold, since he went down to Egypt without consent, his offspring were enslaved in Egypt for four hundred years. As it is written, "and Abraham went down to Egypt." It does not say THAT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, TOLD HIM, 'Go down to Egypt!' THEREFORE, he was in misery all that night because of Sarah.

109. אָמַר רָבִּי יְהוּדָה, תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּגִין דְּנָחַת אַבְרָהָם לְמִצְרַיִם בְּלָא רְשׁוּ, אִשְׁתַּעְבִּידוּ בְּנוֹי בְּמִצְרַיִם, אַרְבַּע מְאָה שְׁנִין, דְּהָא כְתִיב, וַיֵּרֶד אַבְרָם מִצְרָיְמָה. וְלָא כְתִיב רֵד מִצְרָיִם, וְאִצְטַעֵר כָּל הַהוּא לֵילְיָא בְּגִינָהּ דְּשָׂרָה.

Abraham Egypt Sarah Women

110. "And he said to Sarah his wife, 'Behold, now I know that you are a fair woman to look upon'" (Beresheet 12:11). AND HE ASKS, Could it be that until then Abraham did not know that she was a "fair woman to look upon?" AND HE REPLIES, This has already been explained - that until then he did not look upon the image of Sarah, because of their excessive modesty with each other. But when he "came near to enter to Egypt," she revealed herself, and he saw her.

110. וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל שָׂרָה אִשְׁתּוֹ הִנֵּה נָא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אִשָּׁה יְפַת מַרְאֶה אָתְּ. וְכִי עַד הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא לָא הֲוָה יָדַע אַבְרָהָם, דְּאִשָּׁה יְפַת מַרְאֶה הֲוַת. אֶלָּא, הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, דְּעַד הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא, לָא אִסְתַּכַּל בִּדְיוֹקְנָא דְשָׂרָה, בִּסְגִיאוּת צְנִיעוּתָא דַּהֲוַת בֵּינֵיהוֹן, וְכַד קָרֵיב לְמִצְרַיִם, אִתְגַלְיָיא אִיהִי, וְחָמָא בָּהּ.

Abraham Merit Sarah Shechinah Women

111. Another explanation for why he knew ONLY THEN THAT SHE WAS A FAIR WOMAN TO LOOK UPON is that most people are affected by the hardship of the journey, but Sarah remained beautiful and her appearance did not change. THIS IS HOW HE KNEW MORE THAN EVER THAT SHE IS A FAIR WOMAN TO LOOK UPON. Another explanation of the words, "Behold, now I know..." is that Abraham saw the Shechinah accompanying Sarah, WHICH MEANS THAT HE HAD THE MERIT OF THE REVELATION OF THE SHECHINAH. For this reason, Abraham felt confident and said, "She is my sister."

111. דָּבָר אֲחֵר בַּמֶּה יָדַע. אֶלָּא עַל יְדָא דְּטוֹרַח אוֹרְחָא, בַּר נָשׁ מִתְבַּזֶּה, וְהִיא קָיְימָא בְּשַׁפִּירוּ דִילָהּ, וְלָא אִשְׁתַּנֵּי. דָּבָר אֲחֵר הִנֵּה נָא יָדַעְתִּי, דְּחָמָא עִמָּהּ שְׁכִינְתָּא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אִתְרְחַץ אַבְרָהָם, וַאֲמַר אֲחוֹתִי הִיא.

Chayah Light Mochin Prayer Shechinah Soul, The Wisdom

112. The phrase, "MY SISTER," has two meanings. The first is literal - NAMELY, THAT YOU ARE MY SISTER. The second is figurative, as in the verse, "Say to wisdom; you are my sister." (Mishlei 7:4). It also is written, "Say, I pray you, you are my sister" (Beresheet 12:13). THE WORD 'YOU' ALLUDES TO THE SHECHINAH. And it is also written, "Speak you to us" (Devarim 5:24), WHICH ALSO ALLUDES TO THE SHECHINAH. In addressing the Shechinah, he said, "That it may be well with me for your sake," WHICH MEANS FOR THE SAKE OF THE SHECHINAH, and also "my soul shall live because of you," because, as a result of this, REFERRING TO THE MOCHIN OF CHOCHMAH, a person is elevated up to the path of life, SINCE THE LIGHT OF CHOCHMAH IS CALLED THE LIGHT OF CHAYAH, AS IS ALREADY KNOWN!

112. וּמִלָּה דָא אִסְתַּלֵּק, לִתְרֵי גְּוָונִין. חַד כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. וְחַד כְּדִכְתִיב אֱמֹר לַחָכְמָה אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ. וּכְתִיב אִמְרִי נָא אֲחֹתִי אָתְּ. וּכְתִיב וְאַתְּ תְּדַבֵּר אֵלֵינוּ. לְמַעַן יִיטַב לִי בַּעֲבוּרֵךְ, כְּלַפֵּי שְׁכִינָה אָמַר, בַּעֲבוּרֵךְ יִיטַב לִי קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וְחָיְתָה נַפְשִׁי בִּגְלָלֵךְ. בְּגִין דִּבְדָא יִסְתַּלַּק בַּר נָשׁ, וְיִזְכֶּה לְאִסְתַּלְּקָא לְאוֹרְחָא דְחַיֵּי.

Abraham Egyptians Fear Prayer Shechinah

113. "Say, I pray you, you are my sister..." Rabbi Yesa said, Abraham knew that all the Egyptians are lecherous. Since he knew this, how come he was not afraid for his wife and did not return back from this journey and refrain from entering there? AND HE REPLIES, Because he saw that she was accompanied by the Shechinah; THEREFORE HE HAD CONFIDENCE IN HER AND HAD NO FEAR!

113. אִמְרִי נָא אֲחוֹתִי וגו'. ר' יֵיסָא אֲמַר, יָדַע הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם דְּכָלְהוֹ מִצְרָאֵי שְׁטִיפִין אִינוּן בְּזִמָּה, וְכֵיוָן דְּכָל הַאי יָדַע, אַמַּאי לָא דָחִיל עַל אִתְּתֵיהּ, דְּלָא אַהֲדַר מֵאָרְחָא, וְלָא יֵיעוֹל לְתַמָּן. אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּחָמָא שְׁכִינְתָּא עִמָּהּ.

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