Vayigash: Chapter 6

"And you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless"

Synopsis

Hezekiah resolves the apparent contradiction that exists in the scriptural injunction that we should not eat before the first prayer of the morning, and the injunction urging us to give the blessing only after the meal. This leads to greater appreciation of the weighty task that the Creator has taken on in providing his children with longevity and nourishment. We learn that the providing depends on Mazel (Eng. 'luck,' here imbued with an astrological dimension), not merit - a complex and difficult mystery that is somewhat clarified here, leading to both a firmer grasp of the inherent mysteries that lie within the mystical union of Male and Female, and also to a clarification of the secrets contained within the vitally important act of Joseph and Judah approaching one another.

Relevance

The Hebrew word Mazel is usually translated as "luck," but it really means "sign" - as in the signs of the constellations. We are born into this world under a specific celestial influence, as determined by deeds in past lives. We can rise above any negative influences of these signs by evoking the Light through prayer, blessing, and meditation upon these mystical passages of the Zohar.

Blessing Blood Meals Morning

53. The Jew then continued with the verse, "And you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless Hashem your Elohim" (Devarim 8:10). HE ASKS, Do not we bless the Holy One, blessed be He, before eating? Indeed we should rise early in the morning to recite His praises in the proper order, before we greet any other in the world. It is also written, "You shall not eat anything with the blood" (Vayikra 19:26), WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN EXPLAINED, AS it is forbidden to eat before blessing one's Master. Yet now it is written, "And you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless," WHICH MEANS IT BEHOOVES ONE TO BLESS ONLY AFTER THE MEAL.

53. פְּתַח הַהוּא יוּדָאי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וַאֲמַר, וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ, וְכִי לָא מְבָרְכִינָן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, עַד לָא נֵיכוֹל, וְהָא אִית לָן לְאַקְדּוּמֵי בְּצַפְרָא, וּלְסִדּוּרֵי שִׁבְחָא דִילֵיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, וּלְבָרְכָא בִּשְׁמֵיהּ, עַד לָא יְבָרֵךְ לְאַחֲרָא בְּעַלְמָא, וּכְתִיב לֹא תֹאכַל עַל הַדָּם, אָסוּר לֵיהּ לְמֵיכַל, עַד לָא יְבָרֵךְ לְמָארֵיהּ, וְהַשְׁתָּא כְּתִיב וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ.

Blessing Faith Female Grades Male Nukva Prayer Unity

54. HE ANSWERS, The blessings we recite before eating are prayers for unity BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE, while those we recite after eating HAVE TWO PURPOSES - (1), to show proper satiation before the grade of faith, THE NUKVA, AND (2), to bless it properly, so that THE GRADE OF FAITH shall be well watered, blessed and filled with joy from the supernal life as much as needed, and thus will confer sustenance upon us.

54. אֶלָּא, דָּא בִּרְכָתָא דִצְלוֹתָא דְּיִחוּדָא, וְדָא בִּרְכָתָא דִּמְזוֹנָא, לְאַחֲזָאָה לְגַבֵּי דַרְגָּא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא, שָׂבָע כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת. וּכְדֵין בְּעֵי לְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, דְּהַהוּא דַרְגָּא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא, יִתְרַוֵּי, וִיבָרֵךְ, וְיִתְמַלֵּא חֵידוּ מֵחַיִּין דִּלְעֵילָא, כְּמָה דְאִצְטְרִיךְ, בְּגִין לְמֵיהַב לָן מְזוֹנֵי.

Food Mazal Merit Red Sea Seas

55. For providing man's food is as heavy a task for the Holy One, blessed be He, as the cleaving of the Sea of Reeds (the Red Sea). Why? Because all nourishment of the world comes from above. We have learned that children, longevity, and nourishment depend NOT UPON MERIT, but upon mazal. Therefore daily sustenance is a heavy task for Him, for it depends upon mazal, from whence children, longevity, and sustenance are derived. Daily sustenance is hard for Him, because one does not have them before being blessed BY MAZAL.

55. דְּהָא קָשִׁין מְזוֹנָא דְבַר נָשׁ קַמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כִּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף, מ"ט. בְּגִין, דִּמְזוֹנָא דְעַלְמָא דִלְעֵילָא הוּא, דִּתְנַן בָּנֵי חַיֵּי וּמְזוֹנֵי וכו,' וּבְגִין כָּךְ, קַשְׁיָין קַמֵּיהּ מְזוֹנֵי דְעַלְמָא, דְּהָא בְּמַזָּלָא תַּלְיָא מִילְתָא, דְּמִנֵּיהּ נָפְקֵי מְזוֹנֵי, וְחַיֵּי, וּבָנֵי, וּבְגִין כָּךְ קָשִׁין קַמֵּיהּ מְזוֹנֵי דְעַלְמָא, דְּהָא לָאו בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ קָיְימָא, עַד דְּיִתְבָּרֵךְ אִיהוּ.

Curtain Firmaments

56. Similarly, arranging marriages is a heavy task for Him, and everything, CHILDREN AS WELL AS LONGEVITY AND SUSTENANCE, occurs because the firmament is a curtain that serves no purpose. All the more so for CHILDREN, LIFE, AND SUSTENANCE, which abide above in another place. It therefore needs to be blessed TO RECEIVE FROM THERE.

56. כְּגַוְונָא דָא זִיוֻגִּין דְּעַלְמָא, קָשִׁין קַמֵּיהּ, וְכֹלָּא בְּגִין דְּרָקִיעַ וִילוֹן, לָא מְשַׁמֵּשׁ כְּלוּם. וְכ"ש אִלֵּין מִלִּין דְּקָיְימִין לְעֵילָא בַּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאִתְבָּרְכָא.

Female Flow Grades Male Mazal Nukva Rivers Soul, The Zeir Anpin

57. Come and behold, The arranging of marriages is hard for this grade, THE NUKVA, for when union occurs, WHICH BEGETS SOULS, all the souls emerge from the upper mazal, which is the river that flows FROM EDEN - NAMELY, YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN. And when there is a desire TO DRAW from below upward - TO WIT, TO DRAW CHOCHMAH, WHICH IS ONLY DRAWN FROM BELOW UPWARD - the souls soar TO THE NUKVA and become in this grade a union of male and female together. They are then separated, so that each goes to its appointed place. Later the grade finds it hard to reunite them - THE MALE AND THE FEMALE - as before, because they are only united through men's behavior, and everything depends on what is above.

57. תָּא חֲזֵי כָּל זִוּוגִין דְּעַלְמָא, קָשִׁין קַמֵּיהּ הַאי דַרְגָא, בְּגִין דְּכַד הַאי זִוּוּגָא קַדִּישָׁא אִשְׁתַּכַּח, כָּל נִשְׁמָתִין נָפְקִין, מִגּוֹ הַאי מַזָּלָא לְעֵילָא, דְּאִיהוּ הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגֵיד וְנָפֵיק, וְכַד תֵּיאוּבְתָּא אִשְׁתַּכַּח מִלְרַע לְעֵילָא, כְּדֵין פָּרְחִין נִשְׁמָתִין, וְאִתְיְיהִיבוּ כֻּלְּהוּ כְּלִילָן דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא כַּחֲדָא, בְּהַאי דַרְגָּא. וּלְבָתַר אִיהוּ פָּרֵישׁ לוֹן, כָּל חַד וְחַד לְאַתְרֵיהּ כִּדְקָא חָזֵי לֵיהּ. וּלְבָתַר קָשִׁין קַמֵּי הַאי דַרְגָּא, לְחַבְּרָא לוֹן כְּקַדְמֵיתָא, בְּגִין דְּלָא מִתְחַבְּרָן, בַּר כְּאִינוּן אָרְחֵי דְב"נ וְכֹלָּא לְעֵילָא תַּלְיָין.

Red Sea Seas

58. Therefore marriages are as hard for Him to arrange as the cleaving of the Red Sea, for the Red Sea was cleaved to open high roads above that then opened and cleft ways and roads below.

58. וְעַל דָּא קָשִׁין קַמֵּיהּ כִּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף, דְּהָא קְרִיעַת יַמָּא, לְאִתְפַּתְּחָא בֵּיהּ שְׁבִילִין, לְעֵילָא אִיהוּ, וּכְמָה דְּמִתְפַּתְּחִין שְׁבִילִין וְאוֹרְחִין בֵּיהּ, הָכֵי אִתְבַּקַּע וְאִתְפַּתַּח.

Nukva Strength Zeir Anpin

59. Therefore everything depends on the high region, FOR THE NUKVA HAS NOTHING OF HERSELF AFTER SHE IS DIMINISHED, and we should bless Her, and give Her strength from below, so She will be blessed AND RECEIVE from above, FROM ZEIR ANPIN, and be well strengthened. Therefore it is written, "and bless Hashem," with the particle 'Et' before 'Hashem,' FOR IT ALLUDES TO THE NUKVA CALLED 'ET.'

59. וּבְג"כ, כֹּלָּא תַּלְיָא לְעֵילָא, וּבְעִינָן לְבָרְכָא לֵיהּ, וּלְמֵיהַב לֵיהּ תּוֹקְפָא מִתַּתָּא, בְּגִין דְּיִתְבָּרְכָא מִלְּעֵילָא, וְיִתַתַּקַּף כִּדְקָא חָזֵי, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה,' אֶת דַּיְיקָא.

Face Famine Grades Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness) Nukva Other Side

60. We should show before this place, NAMELY, THE NUKVA, satisfaction and shining faces, and to the Other Side, when it reigns in the world, it behooves us to show ourselves famished, for the grade OF THE OTHER SIDE is hunger, and we should look hungry before it instead of well-fed, because satiation does not rule over the world BECAUSE OF IT. Thus, it is written, "And you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless Hashem your Elohim," AS WHEN HOLINESS REIGNS, THERE IS PLENTY IN THE WORLD. Rabbi Elazar said, Assuredly it is so, and so should it be THAT PLENTY ABOUNDS WITH THE RULE OF HOLINESS, AND FAMINE WITH THE REIGN OF THE OTHER SIDE.

60. וּלְגַבֵּי הַאי אֲתַר, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְאַחֲזָאָה קַמֵּיהּ, שָׂבְעָא וּנְהִירוּ דְאַנְפִּין, וּלְגַבֵּי סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, בְּזִמְנָא דְאִיהִי שָׁלְטָא בְּעַלְמָא, בְּעֵי לְאַחֲזָאָה קַמֵּיהּ כַּפְנָא, דְּהַהוּא דַרְגָּא רָעָב אִיהוּ, וְאִתְחֲזֵי לְאַחֲזָאָה קַמֵּיהּ כַּפְנָא, וְלָא שׂוֹבְעָא, הוֹאִיל וְשָׂבָע לָא שָׁלְטָא בְּעַלְמָא, וְעַל דָּא, וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ. אֲמַר רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, וְהָכֵי אִצְטְרִיךְ.

Joseph Judah Peace Righteous Tribes

61. Rabbi Yehuda said, Happy are the righteous, whose coming together brings peace into the world, for they know how to bring unison and approach each other to increase peace in the world. For until Joseph and Judah came near each other, there was no peace. Once they came near each other, peace increased in the world. Joy abounded above and below, when Joseph and Judah approached each other, and all the tribes joined Joseph. The coming together caused peace to abound in the world, as we have explained in relation to the verse, "And Judah came near to him."

61. אֲמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, זַכָּאִין אִינוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא, דְּקוּרְבָא דִּלְהוֹן אִיהוּ שְׁלָמָא בְּעַלְמָא, בְּגִין דְּיָדְעֵי לְיַחֲדָא יִחוּדָא, וּמְקַרְבֵי קוּרְבָא, לְאַסְגָּאָה שְׁלָמָא בְּעַלְמָא, דְּהָא יוֹסֵף וִיהוּדָה עַד לָא אִתְקְרִיבוּ דָּא עִם דָּא, לָא הֲוָה שְׁלָמָא, כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְקְרִיבוּ יוֹסֵף וִיהוּדָה כַּחֲדָא, כְּדֵין אַסְגִּיאוּ שְׁלָמָא בְּעַלְמָא, וְחֵידוּ אִתּוֹסַף לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא, כְּמָה דְּקוּרְבָא דִּיהוּדָה וְיוֹסֵף, וְכֻלְּהוּ שִׁבְטִין אִשְׁתַּכָּחוּ כַּחֲדָא בֵּיהּ בְּיוֹסֵף, וְהַהוּא קוּרְבָא אַסְגֵּי שְׁלָמָא בְּעַלְמָא, כְּמָה דְאוֹקִימְנָא דִּכְתִיב וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה.

<
>