Vayishlach: Chapter 17

Every beginning is difficult

Synopsis

Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Elazar discuss the idea that the beginning of any manifestation involves strain and death, which is later followed by relief and ease. Thus, Rachel's death after the birth of Benyamin was a necessary sacrifice in order that the Shechinah could resume Her proper place. Similarly, on Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) the world passes under severe Judgment, followed by relief, forgiveness, and atonement on Yom Kippur. The reason for this, Rabbi Elazar explains, is that the beginning is from the left side, which brings harsh Judgment until the right side is aroused and provides relief. However, for idolaters the reverse is true. God shall first treat them gently and then later He will destroy them.

Relevance

Each new beginning in our lives represents the seed of all that will follow. The birth of a child, the outset of a new business enterprise, the start of a marriage - these are all examples of beginnings. Through the mystical words of the sages appearing in this ancient text, we help infuse our beginnings with extraordinary Light and positive energy, so that the seed of all that comes afterward is healthy and strong. We derive the strength to endure through the strains and obstacles of beginnings, and to accelerate the arrival of relief and fruition.

Benjamin Crowns Death Death and the Afterlife House Rachel Shechinah Tribes Twelve Twelve Tribes of Israel

173. While they were walking, Rabbi Yosi said to Rabbi Elazar: We learned that when Rachel died, THE SHECHINAH, who needed the twelve tribes to achieve perfection, took Her house. HE ASKS, Why did Rachel die at that time? WAS THIS CONNECTED TO HER DEATH? He replies, The reason was to enable the Shechinah to be properly crowned and become "a joyful mother of children" (Tehilim 113:9). With BENJAMIN, THE SHECHINAH began to take the house and achieve perfection. HE IS OF THE ASPECT OF YESOD OF THE TWELVE TRIBES, AND IS THEREFORE THE FIRST TO PERFECT THE SHECHINAH. Therefore, THE STANDARD OF Benjamin is always facing west - AS YESOD IS CONSIDERED TO BE OF THE WEST - and not any other side.

173. עַד דַּהֲווֹ אָזְלֵי, אָמַר לוֹ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, הָא אִתְּמָר דְּכַד מִיתַת רָחֵל, נָטְלָא בֵּיתָא מַאן דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ, לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא בִּתְרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין, כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, אַמַּאי מִיתַת רָחֵל מִיָּד, אָמַר לוֹ, הָא לְמֶהֱוֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא מִתְעַטְּרָא כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, וּלְמֶהֱוֵי אִם הַבָּנִים שְׂמֵחָה. וּבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא לְנַטְלָא בֵּיתָא וּלְאִתְתַּקָּנָא. וְע"ד, בִּנְיָמִין הוּא תָּדִיר בְּמַעֲרָב, וְלָא בְסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא.

Benjamin Death Death and the Afterlife Earth Heaven Saul Shechinah Twelve Twelve Tribes of Israel

174. With BENJAMIN, the Shechinah begins to achieve perfection by way of the twelve tribes. Through him, the Kingdom of Heaven begins to manifest itself on earth, AS THE FIRST KING IN YISRAEL, SAUL, WAS HIS DESCENDANT. It is a mystery that every manifestation begins with difficulties and contains the sentence of death, but the difficulties are later resolved.

174. וּבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא, בִּתְרֵיסַר שִׁבְטִין, וּבֵיהּ שַׁרְיָא מַלְכוּתָא דִרְקִיעָא, לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא בְּאַרְעָא. וְרָזָא דָא, בְּכָל שֵׁירוּתָא, דְּאַתְיָא לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא, בְּקַשְׁיוּ אִיהוּ, וְעַל דָּא אִית בָּהּ דִּינָא דְמוֹתָא, וּמִתַּמָּן אִתְיַשְּׁבַת.

Deeds Earth Gilboa Mountains of House Judgment Kingdom Mountains Rachel Saul Shechinah Twelve Twelve Tribes of Israel

175. When THE SHECHINAH desired to be perfected and take over the house, WITH THE TWELVE TRIBES COMPLETED, judgment was exacted from Rachel AND SHE DIED. Later, She prepared to assume Her proper place. Similarly, when the kingdom wished to establish itself on earth, it started with judgment against Saul, who was THEN KILLED ON THE MOUNTAINS OF GILBOA, according to his deeds. Only after this judgment was exacted from Saul the kingdom established and settled ON DAVID.

175. הָכָא כַּד בָּעָא לְאִתְתַּקְּנָא, וּלְנַטְלָא בֵּיתָא, אִתְעֲבֵיד דִּינָא בְּרָחֵל, וּבָתַר כֵּן אִתְתַּקְּנַת לְאִתְיַשְּׁבָא. כַּד בָּעָא לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא מַלְכוּתָא בְּאַרְעָא, שַׁרְיָא בְּדִינָא, וְלָא אִתְיַשְּׁבַת מַלְכוּתָא בְּדוּכְתָא כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, עַד דְּאִתְעַר דִּינָא בִּשְׁאוֹל, לְפוּם עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר אִתְיַשְּׁבַת מַלְכוּתָא וְאִתְתַּקְּנַת.

Atonement Hands Head Judgment Rosh Hashanah Sukkot Yom Kippur

176. Come and behold, all beginnings are hard, but are followed by relief. Thus, on Rosh Hashanah everyone in the world is judged according to his own actions. Then comes relief and forgiveness and atonement ON YOM KIPPUR. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY THE SUKKOT ('THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES'). The reason is that every beginning has the aspect of the left, whose judgment is severe, but later the right is aroused, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "HIS LEFT HAND IS UNDER MY HEAD," AND THEN, "HIS RIGHT HAND EMBRACES ME" (SHIR HASHIRIM 2:6). Then relief comes.

176. תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל שֵׁירוּתָא תַּקִּיף, וּלְבָתַר נַיְיחָא. בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׂנָה, שֵׁירוּתָא תַּקִּיף. דְּכָל עַלְמָא אִתְדָּן, כָּל חַד וְחַד לְפוּם עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר נַיְחָא, סְלִיחָה וְכִפּוּרֵי. בְּגִין דְּשֵׁירותָא אִיהוּ מִשְׂמָאלָא, וְעַל דָּא דִּינוֹי תַּקִּיפִין, וּלְבָתַר אִתְעַר יָמִינָא, וְעַל דָּא הֲוֵי נַיְיחָא.

Edom Garments Idolatry Judgment War

177. THE REVERSE IS TRUE FOR THE IDOLATROUS PEOPLE OF THE WORLD. In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will deal with them gently at first, but afterward with severe Judgment. This is the meaning of the verse, "Hashem shall go forth as a mighty man, He shall stir up ardor like a man of war." First comes "Hashem," the Merciful; then He comes "as a mighty man," not an ACTUAL mighty man; and later, "like a man of war," not an ACTUAL man of war. Finally, Judgment will be given against them, and He will destroy them, as it is written, "He shall cry, indeed, roar, He shall show Himself mighty against His foes" (Yeshayah 42:13), and "Then shall Hashem go out, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle" (Zecharyah 14:3), and "Who is this that comes from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Bozra ..." (Yeshayah 63:1)

177. וּלְזִמְנָא דְאָתֵי, זַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְאִתְעָרָא בְּנַיְיחָא עַל שְׁאָר עַמִּין עכו"ם, וּלְבָתַר יִתְתַּקַּף עֲלַיְיהוּ בְּדִינָא קַשְׁיָא, הה"ד ה' כַּגִּבּוֹר יֵצֵא כְּאִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת יָעִיר קִנְאָה יָרִיעַ אַף יַצְרִיחַ עַל אוֹיְבָיו יִתְגַּבָּר. ה' בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, דְּאִיהוּ רַחֲמֵי, וּלְבָתַר כַּגִּבּוֹר, וְלָא גִבּוֹר, וּלְבָתַר כְּאִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת, וְלֹא אִישׁ מִלְחָמוֹת, לְבָתַר אִתְגְּלֵי תּוֹקְפָא עֲלַיְיהוּ, וְיִתְתַּקַּף לְשֵׁיצָאָה לוֹן, דִּכְתִיב יָרִיעַ אַף יַצְרִיחַ עַל אוֹיְבָיו יִתְגַּבָּר. וּכְתִיב וְיָצָא ה' וְנִלְחַם בַּגּוֹיִם הָהֵם כְּיוֹם הִלָּחֲמוֹ בְּיוֹם קְרָב. וּכְתִיב מִי זֶה בָּא מֶאֱדוֹם חֲמוּץ בְּגָדִים מִבָּצְרָה וגו.'

Benjamin Soul, The Strength

178. "And it came to pass, as her soul was departing, for she died, that she called his name, Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin" (Beresheet 35:18). Rabbi Yehuda began the discussion with the verse, "Hashem is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, He knows them that trust in Him" (Nachum 1:7). Happy is the lot of one who is strengthened by the Holy One, blessed be He, because the stronghold of the Holy One, blessed be He, is indeed a stronghold, as it is written, "Hashem is good," as in, "good to all" (Tehilim 145:9); "a stronghold" of salvations, as it is written, "he is the saving strength of His anointed" (Tehilim 28:8). " ...In the day of trouble ..." is when trouble comes, and the other nations attack Yisrael.

178. וַיְהִי בְּצֵאת נַפְשָׁהּ כִּי מֵתָה וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן אוֹנִי וְאָבִיו קָרָא לוֹ בִּנְיָמִן. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, טוֹב ה' לְמָעוֹז בְּיוֹם צָרָה וְיֹדֵעַ חֹסֵי בוֹ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּבַר נָשׁ, דְּאִתְתַּקַּף בֵּיהּ בְּקוּדְשָׁא בּ"ה, בְּגִין דְּתוֹקְפָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, אִיהוּ תּוֹקְפָא, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ. טוֹב ה,' כד"א טוֹב ה' לַכֹּל. לְמָעוֹז דָּא הוּא תּוֹקְפָא, דְּאִית בֵּיהּ יְשׁוּעוֹת. דִּכְתִיב וּמָעוֹז יְשׁוּעוֹת מְשִׁיחוֹ הוּא. בְּיוֹם צָרָה: בְּיוֹמָא דְעָקוּ, דְּעָקִין שְׁאָר עַמִּין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל.

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