"Be afraid of the sword"

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon speaks to Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi about the verse, "Be afraid of the sword. For wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know that there is a judgment." He says 'the sword' is "the sword that avenges the revenge of the covenant --" in other words, that punishes anyone who cheats the covenant or is perverse. "For wrath brings the punishments of the sword," because all who falsify the covenant decrease the desire of Malchut to take sustenance from Zeir Anpin. On the other hand, everyone who observes the covenant stimulates it properly, thereby blessing those above and those below. The covenant is stimulated whenever righteous people are found in the world. As evidence for this, Rabbi Shimon offers, "And also I have sustained my covenant with them to give them the Land of Canaan, the land of their sojourns (Heb. megureihem)." When the covenant was still remembered and kept by the children of Yisrael, all the Sfirot combined in one to liberate them from Egypt.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Job Judgment Revenge Semen Sword

77. One day, Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were before Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "Be afraid of the sword. For wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know that there is a judgment" (Iyov 19:29). HE ASKS, It is written, "Be afraid of the sword." What sword? HE ANSWERS, This is "a sword...that shall avenge My covenant" (Vayikra 26:25). This sword, WHICH IS MALCHUT, stands to observe who is false to the covenant, WHICH IS YESOD, because anyone who is false to the covenant BLEMISHES IT WITH SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OR SPILLING SEMEN IN VAIN, it is this sword that takes vengeance on him.

77. רִבִּי חִיָּיא וְרִבִּי יוֹסִי, הֲווֹ שְׁכִיחֵי יוֹמָא חַד קָמֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, פָּתַח רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר, גּוּרוּ לָכֶם מִפְּנֵי חֶרֶב כִּי חֵמָה עֲוֹנוֹת חֶרֶב לְמַעַן תֵּדְעוּן שַׁדּוּן. שַׁדִּין כְּתִיב. גּוּרוּ לָכֶם מִפְּנֵי חֶרֶב, מַאן חֶרֶב. דָּא חֶרֶב נוֹקֶמֶת נְקַם בְּרִית, דְּהָא הַאי חֶרֶב קָאֵים לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא מַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּבְרִית, דְּכָל מַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּבְרִית, נוּקְמָא דְּנַקְמִין מִנֵּיהּ, הַאי חֶרֶב הוּא.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Sword Zeir Anpin

78. This is the meaning of, "For wrath brings the punishments of the sword." What is the reason? IT IS that anyone who is false to the covenant distances the desire OF MALCHUT TO RECEIVE SUSTENANCE FROM ZEIR ANPIN, and thus whoever should receive SUSTENANCE, NAMELY YESOD does not receive it, and does not give to his place, since his place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is not awakened toward him. BECAUSE OF THE BLEMISH IN THE COVENANT THE DESIRE TO RECEIVE SUSTENANCE WAS TAKEN FROM HER. Everyone who observes this covenant arouses the covenant towards its place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and the upper and lower beings are blessed.

78. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, כִּי חֵמָה עֲוֹנוֹת חָרֶב. מַאי טַעֲמָא. בְּגִין דְּמַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּבְרִית, פָּרִישׁ תִּיאוּבְתָּא, וְלָא נָטִיל מַאן דְּנָטִיל, וְלָא יָהִיב לְאַתְרֵיהּ, דְּהָא לָא אִתְּעַר לְגַבֵּיהּ אַתְרֵיהּ. וְכָל מַאן דְּנָטִיר לֵיהּ לְהַאי בְּרִית, אִיהוּ גָּרִים לְאִתְּעֲרָא לְהַאי בְּרִית לְאַתְרֵיהּ. וְאִתְבָּרְכָאן עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין.

Brit (Covenant) Canaan Covenant (Brit) Fear Patriarchs Righteous Sword

79. Who awakens this covenant to its place? When there are righteous people in the world, THEY AWAKEN IT. How do we know this? From the words, "And I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojourns (Heb. megureihem)" (Shemot 6:4). What is 'megureihem?' IT IS as it is written, "Be afraid (Heb. guru) of the sword", WHICH IS MALCHUT AS MENTIONED. Because it is a place that causes fear in the world. Therefore IT SAYS, "Be afraid of the sword." SO THE PATRIARCHS STIMULATED THE COVENANT TO ITS PLACE, WHICH IS MALCHUT, OF WHICH IT SAYS, "TO GIVE TO THEM THE LAND OF THEIR SOJOURNS," AS EXPLAINED.

79. מַאן אִתְּעַר הַאי בְּרִית לְאַתְרֵיהּ. כַּד אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ זַכָּאִין בְּעָלְמָא. מְנָא לָן, מֵהָכָא, דִּכְתִּיב וְגַם הֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם לָתֵת לָהֶם אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן אֶת אֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵיהֶם. מַאי מְגוּרֵיהֶם. כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר גּוּרוּ לָכֶם מִפְּנֵי חֶרֶב. בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אֲתָר, דְּאַשְׁדֵי מָגוֹר בְּעָלְמָא, וְעַל דָּא גּוּרוּ לָכֶם מִפְּנֵי חֶרֶב.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Fear Head Precepts

80. אֲשֶׁר גָּרוּ בָהּ, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְקְרִיבוּ לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּחִילוּ בָּהּ דְּחִילוּ, וּדְחִילוּ עִלָּאָה בָּהּ לְמִיטַר פִּקוּדוֹי. דְּאִי בְּהַאי לָא יִשְׁדֵי דְּחִילוּ עַל רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, לָא דָּחִיל לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְעָלְמִין בִּשְׁאַר פִּקוּדוֹי.

Brit (Covenant) Covenant (Brit) Egypt Zeir Anpin

81. Come and see, of the awakening from below, when Yisrael were awakened towards the Holy One, blessed be He, and cried before Him, it is written, "And I have remembered My covenant" (Shemot 6:5), because He remembered the covenant. Then the desire arose to connect everything in one bond, as since the covenant was awakened, WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, the bond of all THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN became awakened. "And I have remembered My covenant" MEANS to attach it to its place, WHICH IS MALCHUT. Therefore it is written, "Therefore say to the children of Yisrael, I am Hashem" (Ibid. 6) FOR ALL THE SFIROT JOINED INTO ONE BOND TO REDEEM YISRAEL FROM EGYPT.

81. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְתַתָּא, כַּד אִתְּעָרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְצָוְוחוּ לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, מַה כְּתִיב, וָאֶזְכּוֹר אֶת בְּרִיתִי, דְּהָא בִּבְרִית הֲוֵי זָכוֹר. וּכְדֵין אִתְּעַר תִּיאוּבְתָּא, לְאִתְקַשְּׁרָא כֹּלָּא בְּקִשּׁוּרָא חַד. כֵּיוָן דְּהַאי בְּרִית אִתְּעַר, הָא קִשּׁוּרָא דְּכֹלָּא אִתְּעַר. וָאֶזְכּוֹר אֶת בְּרִיתִי, לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא לֵיהּ בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. וְעַל דָּא, לָכֵן אֱמוֹר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי ה.'