"For who is El...and who is a rock, save our Elohim"

Synopsis

Every human being is a microcosm of the entire universe. Just as every human cell of the body contains the entire genetic code, each of us contains the entire universe within our soul. We are all individual cells of the cosmos. Accordingly, our influence extends throughout the entire universe. Each part contains the whole, and therefore each part affects the whole. When the Zohar tells us that Adam saw all the souls who would ever come into existence, we are meant to understand that each of us has a definite purpose and role in the world that was known from the moment of creation.

Relevance

Each individual existence has unique importance and purpose in the overall design and development of the universe. Through these passages, true understanding of our power and influence in this world is aroused within us. We gain awareness of the value and magnitude of every action. Moreover, we connect ourselves to our personal mission that was set forth at the moment of creation.

Abram David Deeds Hands Rock Samuel Strength Year

327. "And when Abraham was ninety nine years old..." (Beresheet 17:1). In discussing this verse, Rabbi Aba said, "For who is El, save Hashem? And who is a rock, save our Elohim?" (II Shmuel 22:32). King David said this verse, "For who is El, save Hashem?" meaning who is the governor or ruler over things, "save Hashem." EVERYONE DOES what the Holy One, blessed be He commands, as no one can stand on his own or does anything without Hashem. "And who is a rock" - who is strong enough to perform a mighty deed with his own strength -"save our Elohim?" Therefore, everyone is in the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He, and none can do anything without His permission.

327. וַיְהִי אַבְרָם בֶּן תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה וְתֵשַׁע שָׁנִים וגו'. רַבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח כִּי מִי אֵל מִבַּלְעֲדֵי ה' וּמִי צוּר וגו'. דָּוִד מַלְכָּא אֲמַר הַאי קְרָא כִּי מִי אֵל מִבַּלְעֲדֵי ה'. מָאן הוּא שַׁלִּיטָא אוֹ מְמַנָּא דְּיָכוֹל לְמֶעְבַּד מִדֵּי מִבַּלְעֲדֵי ה', אֶלָּא מַה דְּאִתְפַּקַּד מֵעִם קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּגִין דְּכָלְהוֹ לָא בִּרְשׁוּתַיְיהוּ קָיְימֵי, וְלָא יָכְלֵי לְמֶעְבַּד מִדֵּי. וּמִי צוּר: וּמַאן אִיהוּ תַּקִּיף דְּיָכוֹל לְמֶעְבַּד תּוּקְפָא וּגְבוּרָה מִגַּרְמֵיהּ, מִבַּלְעֲדֵי אֱלֹקֵינוּ. אֶלָּא כָּלְהוֹ בִּידָא דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְלָא יָכִיל לְמֶעְבַּד מִדֵּי בַּר בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ.

Astrology Fetus Hands Rock Soul, The Stars Womb

328. According to another explanation of "For who is El, save Hashem?" everything lies in the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He, and not in what is seen in the stars and their signs. The stars may show a particular thing, but the Holy One, blessed be He, changes it to something else. The verse "And who is a rock (Heb. tzur), save our Elohim?" has been explained. There is no "portrayer" (Heb. tzayar) like the Holy One, blessed be He, who portrays an image within an image, REFERRING TO A FETUS WITHIN HIS MOTHER'S WOMB, completes that image in all its perfection, and inserts to it a heavenly soul that is similar to the Holy One, blessed be He. This is why there is no "portrayer' like the Holy One, blessed be He.

328. דָּבָר אֲחֵר, כִּי מִי אֵל מִבַּלְעֲדֵי ה'. דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כֹּלָּא בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ, וְלָא כְּמַאן דְּאִתְחֲזֵי בְּחֵיזוּ דְּכֹכְבַיָא וּמַזָּלֵי, דְּכָלְהוֹ אַחְזְיָין מִלָּה, וְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְלַף לֵיהּ לְגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא. וּמִי צוּר זוּלָתִי אֱלֹקֵינוּ. הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, דְּלֵית צַיָּיר כְּמָה דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּאִיהוּ צַיָּיר שְׁלִים, עָבֵיד וְצַיֵּיר דְּיוֹקְנָא גּוֹ דְיוֹקְנָא, וְאַשְׁלִים לְהַהוּא דְּיוֹקְנָא בְּכָל תִּקּוּנֵיהּ, וְאָעֵיל בָּהּ נֶפֶשׁ עִלָּאָה, דְּדָמֵי לְתִקּוּנָא עִלָּאָה, בְּגִין כָּךְ לֵית צַיָּיר כְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

Children Creation Images Women

329. תָּא חֲזֵי, מֵהַהוּא זַרְעָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ, כַּד אִתְעַר תִּיאוּבְתֵּיהּ לְגַבֵּי נוּקְבֵיהּ, וְנוּקְבֵיהּ אִתְעָרַת לְגַבֵּיהּ, כְּדֵין מִתְחַבְּרָן תַּרְוַויְיהוּ כַּחֲדָא, וּנְפַק מִנַּיְיהוּ בַּר חַד, דְּכָלֵיל מִתְּרֵין דְּיוֹקְנִין כְּחַד, בְּגִין דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא צַיֵיר לֵיהּ בְּצִיּוּרָא דְּאִתְכְּלֵיל מִתַּרְוַויְיהוּ. וְעַל דָא בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְקַדְשָׂא גַרְמֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׁתְּכַח הַהוּא דְּיוֹקְנָא בְּצִיּוּרָא שְׁלִים כִּדְקָא חָזֵי.

Deeds Images

330. Rabbi Chiya said, Come and behold, How great are the deeds that the Holy One, blessed be He, performs. Because He creates and portrays human beings in a similar way to THE ART AND PAINTING OF the world. THIS MEANS THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING REFLECTS THE ENTIRE WORLD WITHIN HIMSELF AND THUS IS CALLED A MICROCOSM. Every day, the Holy One, blessed be He, creates a world by mating couples, according to their worth. THROUGH THEM, HE CREATES WORLDS. And He forms the images of all offspring, before they come to the world.

330. אָמַר רָבִּי חִיָּיא תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָּה אִינוּן רַבְרְבִין עוֹבָדוֹי דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּהָא אוּמְנוּתָא וְצִיּוּרָא דְּבַּר נָשׁ אִיהוּ כְּגַוְונָא דְעָלְמָא, וּבְכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּרֵי עָלְמָא, מְזַוֵּוג זִוּוּגִין כָּל חַד וְחַד כִּדְקָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ, וְהוּא צַיֵּיר דְּיוֹקְנֵיהוֹן עַד לָא יֵיתוּן לְעָלְמָא.

Adam Book of the Generations of Adam Creation Eyes Form Images Wisdom

331. Come and behold. Rabbi Shimon said that it is written, "This is the book of the generations of Adam" (Beresheet 5:1). AND HE INQUIRES, "Did he actually have a book?" AND HE REPLIES, This has been explained. The Holy One, blessed be He, showed Adam every generation and its leaders. But how did He show him ALL OF THEIR IMAGES? If you say that he saw through the Holy Spirit that they are destined to appear in the world, just like a person who sees through wisdom can tell the future of the world, it is not so! Rather, he saw them all with his eyes; he literally saw the image of their forms in the world with his eyes. AND HE ASKS, Why WAS HE ABLE TO SEE THEM ALL WITH HIS EYES? AND HE REPLIES, Because since the day the world was created, all the Souls that were to appear in future human beings stand before the Holy One, blessed be He, in the same image and form that they will have in the world.

331. תָּא חֲזֵי, דַּאֲמַר רָבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, כְּתִיב זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם. וְכִי סֵפֶר הֲוָה לֵיהּ. אֶלָּא אוֹקְמוּהָ דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַחְמֵי לֵיהּ לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, דּוֹר דּוֹר וְדוֹרְשָׁיו וכו'. הֵיאַךְ אַחְמֵי לֵיהּ, אִי תֵימָא דְּחָמָא בְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא, דְּאִינוּן זְמִינִין לְמֵיתֵי לְעָלְמָא. כְּמַאן דְּחָמָא בְּחָכְמְתָא, מַה דְּיֵיתֵי לְעָלְמָא, לָאו הָכֵי. אֶלָּא חָמָא בְּעֵינָא, כָּלְהוֹ. וְהַהוּא דְּיוֹקְנָא דְּזַמִּינִין לְמֵיקַם בֵּיהּ בְּעָלְמָא, כָּלְהוֹ חָמָא בְּעֵינָא, מ"ט, בְּגִין דְּמִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, כָּלְהוֹ נַפְשָׁאן דְּזַמִּינִין לְמֵיקַם בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא כָּלְהוֹ קָיְימִין קַמֵּי קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּהַהוּא דְּיוֹקְנָא מַמָּשׁ, דְּזַמִּינִין לְמֵיקַם בֵּיהּ בְּעָלְמָא.

Adam Eyes Form Righteous Soul, The

332. כְּגַוְונָא דָא, כָּל אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא בָּתַר דְּנָפְקִין מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, כָּלְהוֹ נַפְשָׁאן סָלְקָן, וְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַזְמִין לוֹן דְּיוֹקְנָא אָחֳרָא לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בְּהוֹ, כְּגַוְונָא דַּהֲווֹ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, בְּגִין כָּךְ כָּלְהוֹ קָיְימִין קַמֵּיהּ, וְחָמָא לוֹן אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּעֵינָא.

333. וְאִי תֵימָא, בָּתַר דְּחָמָא לוֹן, לָא קָיְימֵי בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ. תָּא חֲזֵי כָּל מִלּוֹי דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּקִיּוּמָא אִינוּן, וְקָיְימוּ קַמֵּיהּ עַד דְּנָחֲתוּ לְעָלְמָא, כְּגַוְונָא דָא כְּתִיב כִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר יֶשְׁנוֹ פֹה וגו'. הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ דְּכָלְהוֹ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּזַמִּינִין לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּעָלְמָא, כָּלְהוֹ אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ תַּמָּן.

Eyes

334. This should be examined, because it is written, "and also with him that is not here..." which leads us to conclude that it refers only to those who will be born from those standing there. Therefore, it does not say, "standing with us this day," WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT THAT THEY WERE STANDING THERE WITH THEM. Instead, it is written, "with us this day," WHICH MEANS THAT THEY ARE NOT WITH THEM! AND HE EXPLAINS, "Assuredly, everyone was standing there, but because they were not seen by the eye, the verse reads "with us this day," WHICH MEANS even though they are unseen. BECAUSE OF THIS, HE COULD NOT SAY "STANDING HERE WITH US THIS DAY."

334. הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא, דְּהָא כְתִיב, אֵת אֲשֶׁר אֵינֶנּוּ פֹה וגו', וּמַשְׁמַע הַנְהוּ דְּיִפְקוּן מֵאִינוּן דְּקָיְימוּ תַּמָּן, בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב עִמָּנוּ הַיּוֹם, וְלָא כְתִיב עִמָּנוּ עוֹמֵד הַיּוֹם. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי כָּלְהוֹ קָיְימוּ תַּמָּן, אֶלָּא דְּלָא אִתְחֲזוּ לְעֵינָא, בְּגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב עִמָּנוּ הַיּוֹם, אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא אִתְחֲזוּן.

Adam Eyes Grades Mirror Mount Sinai Torah

335. You might say, "What is the reason that they were not seen here - ON MOUNT SINAI - just as they were seen by Adam's own eye. DURING THE GIVING OF THE TORAH, would it have been more proper FOR ALL FUTURE GENERATIONS to be seen?" AND HE REPLIES, Here, when the Torah was given to Yisrael, they were looking at a different mirror, in which they saw the supernal grades eye to eye. And they were craving to look upon the glory of their Master. Therefore they saw the supernal glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself alone, and nothing else besides Him!

335. וְאִי תֵימָא, מ"ט לָא אִתְחֲזוּן הָכָא, כְּמָה דְּאִתְחֲזוּן לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, דְּחָמָא לוֹן עֵינָא בְּעֵינָא, וְהָא הָכָא אִתְחֲזֵי יַתִּיר. אֶלָּא, הָכָא כַּד אִתְיְיהִיבַת אוֹרַיְיתָא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, חֵיזוּ אָחֳרָא, וְדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין, הֲווֹ חָמָאן וּמִסְתַּכְּלָאן עֵינָא בְּעֵינָא, וַהֲווֹ תְּאִיבִין לְאִסְתַּכָּלָא וּלְמֶחֱמֵי בִּיקָרָא דְּמָרֵיהוֹן, וּבְגִין כָּךְ חָמוּ יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וְלָא מֵאָחֳרָא.

Eyes Flesh Images Rock

336. Accordingly, all human beings who shall appear in the future in the world stand before the Holy One, blessed be He, clothed in the actual images in which they shall eventually appear. Therefore, it is written, "Your eyes did see my unshaped flesh, for in Your book all things are written..." (Tehilim 139:16). What is the reason THAT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, SAW HIS UNSHAPED FLESH? "Because another supernal image THAT WAS STANDING BEFORE HIM - EVEN BEFORE THE WORLD WAS CREATED - was similar to this one. AND THIS IS WHY HE SAW IT. Thus, it is written, "and who is a rock (tzur), save our Elohim? IN OTHER WORDS, who is such a good "portrayer" (tzayar) that he is able to draw everything as does the Holy One, blessed be He!

336. וְעַל דָא, כָּלְהוֹ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּזַמִּינִין לְקָיְימָא בְּעָלְמָא, כָּלְהוֹ קָיְימֵי קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, בְּאִינוּן דְּיוֹקְנִין מַמָּשׁ, דְּזַמִּינִין לְקָיְימָא בֵּיהּ, הה"ד גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וְעַל סִפְרְךָ וגו'. גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ. מ"ט, בְּגִין דִּדְיוֹקְנָא אָחֳרָא עִלָּאָה הֲוֵי כְּהַאי, וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב וּמִי צוּר זוּלָתִי אֱלֹקֵינוּ. מַאן צַיָּיר טַב, דְּצַיָּיר כֹּלָּא כְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.

Chassadim Grades Heart Nukva Rock Yud Hei Vav Hei (YHVH) Zeir Anpin

337. Another explanation for "For who is Eloha," is the secret of the matter. THE NUKVA, WHICH IS CALLED El, is inclusive, because it includes all the grades within it - THE GRADES OF THE RIGHT, WHICH ARE CHASSADIM, TOGETHER WITH THE GRADES OF THE LEFT, WHICH ARE GVUROT. You might say that the name El represents a different grade - NOT THE ASPECT OF THE RIGHT - because it is written that, "and an El who has indignation every day" (Tehilim 7:12). HE EXPLAINS, "Come and behold, "For who is El, save Hashem" MEANS THAT THE NUKVA is not separate, BUT IS UNITED WITH YUD HEI VAV HEI (HASHEM), WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, IN A UNISON THAT is never interrupted. This is described by the words, "For who is El save Hashem, and who is a rock..." because "a rock," WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE LEFT OF THE NUKVA, is not alone, but everything is one, as it is written, "Know therefore this day, and consider it in your heart, that Hashem He is the Elohim ..." (Devarim 4:39).

337. דָּבָר אֲחֵר, כִּי מִי אֱלוֹהַּ. דָּא רָזָא דְמִלָּה, דְּהָא אֵל כְּלָלָא הוּא, דְּאִתְכְּלֵיל מִכָּלְהוֹ דַּרְגִּין, וְאִי תֵימָא, דְּהָא אֵל אִיהוּ דַּרְגָּא אָחֳרָא, בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב אֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם. תָּא חֲזֵי, דְּהָא לֵית אֵל מִבַּלְעֲדֵי ה', דְּלָאו אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, וְלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ לְעָלְמִין. וְעַל דָא כְּתִיב כִּי מִי אֵל מִבַּלְעֲדֵי ה' וגו' וּמִי צוּר וגו'. דְּהָא צוּר לָאו אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, אֶלָּא כֹּלָּא חַד, כְּדִכְתִיב וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבוֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ כִּי ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹקִים וגו'.