"And behold a well in the field"

Synopsis

Rabbi Elazar talks about "the well that the princes dug out," saying that the well is filled with blessings from Netzach, Hod and Yesod; the well sustains everyone above and below. The great stone that was rolled over the well's mouth refers to harsh judgment, which is removed when the blessings flow through the Sfirot. In a similar way, God poured blessings on the generation of Rabbi Shimon.

Aba and Ima Blessing Sheep Well Wisdom

103. Rabbi Elazar opened the discussion saying, "And he looked, and behold a well in the field...And there were all the flocks gathered" (Beresheet 29:2-3). These verses need to be examined, as they contain the secret of wisdom that I learned from my father. So I learned, "And he looked, and behold a well in the field." What is the "well?" It is the one mentioned in "the well that the princes dug out, that the nobles of the people delved" (Bemidbar 21:18), MEANING MALCHUT THAT IS EMBELLISHED FROM ABA AND IMA REFERRED TO AS PRINCES. "And, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it" (Beresheet 29:2): These represent Netzach, Hod and Yesod, which rest by it and stand over it. From them the well was filled with blessings.

103. פָּתַח ר' אֶלְעָזָר וְאָמַר, וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה בְאֵר בַּשָּׂדֶה וְגוֹ.' וְנֶאֱסָפוּ שָׁמָּה כָל הָעֲדָרִים וְגוֹ.' הָנֵי קְרָאֵי אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בְּהוּ, וּבְרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא אִינּוּן, דְּאוֹלִיפְנָא מֵאַבָּא, וְהָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא, וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה בְאֵר בַּשָּׂדֶה, מַאן בְּאֵר. דָּא הוּא דִּכְתִּיב, בְּאֵר חֲפָרוּהָ שָׂרִים כָּרוּהָ נְדִיבֵי הָעָם. וְהִנֵה שָׁם שְׁלֹשָׁה עֶדְרֵי צֺאן רוֹבְצִים עָלֶיהָ, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן נֶצַח הוֹד יְסוֹד, דְּאִלֵּין אִינּוּן רְבִיעִין עָלָהּ, וְקַיְימִין עָלָהּ, וּמֵאִלֵּין אִתְמַלְּיָא בִּרְכָאן הַהִיא בְּאֵר.

Blessing Head Judgment Other Side Rock Stone Well Zeir Anpin

104. "For out of that well they watered the flocks" (Ibid.), because all are sustained from that well, higher and lower beings, and together they are blessed. "And a great stone was upon the well's mouth" (Ibid.) refers to the harsh Judgment THAT IS KNOWN AS THE GREAT ROCK, which stands upon it from the Other Side to suckle from it. "And there were all the flocks gathered:" These are the six Sfirot of the King, ZEIR ANPIN - NAMELY CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD - which all assemble and draw blessings from the head of the King, NAMELY FROM THE THREE FIRST SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN KNOWN AS HEAD. They pour into it and, when they all merge together and feed into it, it is written, "And they rolled the stone from the well's mouth" (Ibid. 3), meaning they roll away the harsh Judgment, KNOWN AS A STONE, and remove it.

104. כִּי מִן הַבְּאֵר הַהִיא יַשְׁקוּ הָעֲדָרִים, דְּהָא מִן הַאי בְּאֵר אִתְּזָנוּ עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין, וּמִתְבָּרְכָאן כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא. וְהָאֶבֶן גְּדוֹלָה עַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר, דָּא הוּא דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא, דְּקַיְּימָא עָלָהּ מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא לְיָנְקָא מִינָּהּ. וְנֶאֱסָפוּ שָׁמָּה כָל הָעֲדָרִים, אִלֵּין אִינּוּן שִׁית כִּתְרֵי מַלְכָּא, דְּמִתְכַּנְשֵׁי כֻּלְּהוּ, וְנַגְדֵּי בִּרְכָאן מֵרֵישָׁא דְּמַלְכָּא, וּמְרִיקָן בָּהּ. וְכַד אִתְחַבְּרָאן כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא לְאַרְקָא בָּהּ, כְּתִיב וְגָלְלוּ אֶת הָאֶבֶן מֵעַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר, מְגַנְדְּרִין לְהַהוּא דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא, וּמְעַבְּרָן לֵיהּ מִינָּהּ.

Blessing Correction (Tikun) Fragrance Grades Judgment Peace Sheep Stone Streams Tikun (Correction) Well World to Come, The

105. "And watered the sheep" (Ibid.), MEANING they pour out blessings from this well to the higher and lower levels. Afterwards, they "put the stone back upon the well's mouth" (Ibid.), MEANING the Judgment returns to its position. It is because it is needed in order to bring fragrance and correction to the world. Now, the Holy One, blessed be He, has poured upon you blessings from the springs of the fountain stream and from you are blessed all the members of your generation. How fortunate is your share in this world and in the World to Come. About you, it is written, "And all your children shall be taught of Hashem; and great shall be the peace of your children" (Yeshayah 54:13).

105. וְהִשְׁקוּ אֶת הַצֺּאן, מְרִיקִין בִּרְכָאן מֵהַהִיא בְּאֵר, לְעִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין לְבָתַר וְהֵשִׁיבוּ אֶת הָאֶבֶן עַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר לִמְקוֹמָהּ. תָּב הַהוּא דִּינָא לְאַתְרֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְבַשְׂמָא עָלְמָא, וּלְתַקְּנָא עָלְמָא. וְהַשְׁתָּא הָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָרִיק עָלַיְיכוּ בִּרְכָאן, מִמַּבּוּעָא דְּנַחֲלָא, וּמִנַּיְיכוּ כָּל בְּנֵי דָּרָא מִתְבָּרְכִין. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיכוֹן בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, וּבְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי עָלַיְיכוּ כְּתִיב, וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְיָ' וְרַב שָׁלוֹם בָּנַיִךְ.