Noach: Chapter 17

"And, behold, I will bring flood of waters"

Synopsis

No matter how far one may fall spiritually, the Light of the Creator is always present the moment we decide to rise above our negativity. This awareness, together with the positive influences radiating from the text, is the way we can begin our ascent.

Body Brit (Covenant) Circumcision Covenant (Brit) Judgment Nukva Revenge Soul, The Throne Waters Zeir Anpin

134. And he continued, quoting the verse: "And, behold I will (Myself) bring flood of waters" (Beresheet 6:17). HE ASKS: Why DOES THE VERSE SAY "Myself" after already saying "And I?" AND HE ANSWERS: The words "I" and "Myself" are the same. But, come and behold: wherever it is written "I," a body has been made for the soul. THIS MEANS THAT "I" IS THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE, WHICH IS AS A BODY FOR ZEIR ANPIN. CONVERSELY, ZEIR ANPIN IS CONSIDERED TO BE HER SOUL. And she certainly does receive from above, FROM ZEIR ANPIN. That is why THE WORD "I" is hinted in the sign of the covenant BY THE LETTER VAV (LIT. 'AND'), WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN. As it is written: "As for Me (lit. 'I'), behold, My covenant is with you" (Beresheet 17:4), FOR THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE RECEIVES FROM THE COVENANT OF ZEIR ANPIN. "I" means that I am ready to be revealed and am achievable; "I" means that it is a throne of what is above; "I" means that I am the one who shall seek revenge for generations upon generations. But the words "and (Heb. ve) I," APPEARING IN THIS PASSAGE, INCLUDE THE LETTER VAV, AND refer to the union of the Male and Female. THE VAV OF "AND I" REFERS TO THE MALE, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN. Afterwards, THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE is mentioned alone, WITHOUT ZEIR ANPIN, at the time when she is ready to execute Judgment, as it is written: "Myself, will bring the flood of waters upon the land."

134. תּוּ פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֶת הַמַּבּוּל מַיִם. מ"ט הִנְנִי, כֵּיוָן דַּאֲמַר וַאֲנִי, אֶלָּא אֲנִי הִנְנִי, כֹּלָּא מִלָּה חָדָא הִיא. תָּא חֲזֵי בְּכָל אֲתַר אֲנִי, אִתְעֲבִיד גּוּפָא לְנִשְׁמְתָא, וַדַּאי, דִּמְקַבְּלָא מִמַּה דִּלְעֵילָא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אִתְרְמִיז בְּאָת קַיָּימָא, דִּכְתִיב אֲנִי הִנֵּה בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ, אֲנִי דְּקָיְימָא בְּאִתְגַּלְּיָא, מְזוּמֶנֶת לְמִנְדַע. אֲנִי, כָּרְסְיָא לְמַה דִּלְעֵילָא. אֲנִי, דַּעֲבִידְנָא נוּקְמִין לְדָרֵי דָרִין. וַאֲנִי, כָּלֵיל דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא כַּחֲדָא, לְבָתַר אִתְרְשִׁים בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, דְּאִזְדַּמַּן לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא. הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֶת הַמַּבּוּל מַיִם.

Angel of Death Angels Water Waters

135. HE ASKS: if it has been already stated, "will bring the flood," do we not understand that He refers to water? IF SO, WHY IS IT THEN NECESSARY TO MENTION "FLOOD OF WATERS?" AND HE ANSWERS: Flood implies the presence of the Angel of Death, even though it was only water. The Angel of Destruction went in the world to destroy it with these waters.

135. כֵּיוָן דַּאֲמַר, מֵבִיא אֶת הַמַּבּוּל, לָא יְדַעְנָא דְּאִיהוּ מַיִם, אֶלָא אֶת הַמַּבּוּל, לְאַסְגָאָה מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, דְּאַף עַל גָּב דְּמַיָא הֲווֹ, מְחַבְּלָא אָזִיל בְּעָלְמָא, לְשֵׁיצָאָה בְּאִינוּן מַיִין.

Righteous Wicked Wickedness World to Come, The

136. HE CONTINUED BY SAYING: We have learned that the words, "I am Hashem," show that 'I am faithful to the recompense of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked.' So, here, in this verse, "I" means to promise to reward and repay the righteous well in the World to Come. Likewise, it describes the threat to the wicked, who will be punished in the World to Come, by the term "I."

136. אֲנִי ה'. הָכֵי תָּנִינָן, נֶאֱמָן אֲנָא, לְשַׁלְּמָא אֲגַר טוֹב לְצַדִּיקַיָּא, וּלְאִתְפָּרַע מֵרַשִׁיעַיָּא, וּבְגִין כָּךְ, אַבְטַח לוֹן קְרָא לְצַדִּיקַיָּא, בַּאֲנִי, לְשַׁלְּמָא אֲגַר טַב דִּלְהוֹן, לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי. וְאַגְזִים לְרַשִׁיעַיָּא, לְאִתְפְּרַע מִנַּיְיהוּ לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי, בַּאֲנִי.

Angels Flesh Noah Repentance Righteous Wicked Wickedness Year

137. As we previously explained, the words "To destroy all flesh" (Beresheet 6:17) refer to the Angel of Destruction. This is why it is also written: "And He will not allow the Angel of Destruction to come into your house to smite you" (Shemot 12:23). THIS MEANS THAT HE DOES NOT GIVE HIM PERMISSION TO DESTROY. To "destroy all flesh" is from THE ANGEL OF DESTRUCTION, WHICH IS HINTED IN THE VERSE, "The End of all Flesh is come before Me," MEANING THAT HE CAME BEFORE HIM TO ASK PERMISSION TO DESTROY. The time the Holy One, blessed be He, had waited for them to repent had passed. That is, Noah had reached 600 years of age, AND IT WAS POSSIBLE TO REWARD HIM, TO UPHOLD THE REWARDING OF THE RIGHTEOUS. THE TIME HAD ALSO ARRIVED FOR THE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED. THAT IS WHY HE GAVE PERMISSION TO THE ANGEL OF DESTRUCTION "to destroy all flesh." He said: This is what we learned in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak, who told us all this.

137. לְשַׁחֵת כָּל בָּשָׂר, כְּמָה דְאוֹקִימְנָא, דְּדָא הוּא מְחַבְּלָא דְעָלְמָא. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב וְלֹא יִתֵּן הַמַּשְׁחִית לָבֹא אֶל בָּתֵּיכֶם לִנְגוֹף. וְדָא הוּא לְשַׁחֵת כָּל בָּשָׂר, מִסִּטְרָא דְּקֵץ כָּל בָּשָׂר בָּא לְפָנַי. דְּהָא כֵּיוָן דְּמָטָא זִמְנָא, דְּאוֹרִיךְ לוֹן קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַד דְּאַשְׁלִים נֹחַ לְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה, כְּדֵין לְשַׁחֵת כָּל בָּשָׂר. אֲמַר הָכֵי אוֹלִיפְנָא מִשְׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יִצְחָק דַּאֲמַר לָן.

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