Kabbalah - Rabbi Aryeh Rotenberg

260513.Bamidbar v064
Bemidbar: Verse 61
Rabbi Elazar asked his father Rabbi Shimon: Where do we find this sign of unification, SO THAT WE DO NOT ERR? He told him: My son, although we explained this in many facets and THESE WORDS were scattered here and there, keep this sign in your hand. This is similar to the encircling of the altar, which we have previously learned. One should approach the south-east corner, north-east, north-west, and south-west, AS WE DESCRIBED BEFORE. So he asked him: It is inconceivable TO DO ANYTHING until a person accepts upon himself the yoke of the Holy Kingdom first and carries that yoke, yet you said he should first come to the south, WHICH IS CHESED.
Bemidbar: Verse 62
He said to him: I have already told you everything. I said first that one approaches the corner. And you know the hidden meaning of corner - THAT IS, MALCHUT, which is the yoke of holy Malchut. Following that is south-east; ONE SHOULD CONNECT THE SOUTH, CHESED, TO THE EAST, WHICH IS TIFERET, THE CENTRAL COLUMN, because there, IN THE EAST, is the Tree of Life, WHICH IS TIFERET. This is in order to bring together THE SOUTH with the east, who is supernal Aba, MEANING CHOCHMAH, ALSO CALLED 'SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA,' because the son, WHICH IS TIFERET, comes from the father's side - BECAUSE THE ROOT OF TIFERET IS IN THE CONCEALED DA'AT OF SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA. Hence, ONE UNITES from south to the east, for the fortitude of the south is in the east, NAMELY IN THE CONCEALED DA'AT OF SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF THE EAST. And therefore it is imperative that south and east should be bound together.
Bemidbar: Verse 63
And east connects to the north, WHICH IS IN IMA, REFERRING TO BINAH, ALSO CALLED 'YISRAEL-SABA AND TEVUNAH,' FROM WHICH THE NORTH IS DRAWN FORTH - THAT IS, THE LEFT COLUMN, since it, MEANING BINAH, completes and fills the rivers and springs OF THE EAST, WHICH IS THE REVEALED DA'AT AND TIFERET. And therefore, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO UNITE north-east, MEANING TO CONNECT THE EAST WITH BINAH. However, these EAST AND NORTH are Aba and Ima that never separate, BECAUSE EAST IS DA'AT OF SUPERNAL ABA, THAT IS, THE SECRET OF SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA. DA'AT OF SUPERNAL ABA CLEAVES TO DA'AT OF SUPERNAL IMA, AND THE LEFT COLUMN THAT IS REVEALED IN HER THAT IS CALLED 'NORTH,' as we already explained. And the reason she, THE SUPERNAL IMA, is called northern (Heb. tzefonit), is because it is the supernal hidden one (Heb. tzefunah), and from her end the north emanates, WHICH IS THE LEFT COLUMN. THIS IS BECAUSE FROM ABA'S END, THE NORTH IS HIDDEN AND CONCEALED. The Judgments arise from her side, although she is merciful and happy. And we already explained it. When she, IMA, emerges, the north emanates from her; IT IS FROM HER THAT THE NORTH REVEALS ITSELF, because he, ABA, was included in and connected to the south, AND THE NORTH IS HIDDEN IN IT.
Bemidbar: Verse 64
Following that, HE WILL COME TO THE north-western CORNER. From Aba's side the son emerges, WHICH IS TIFERET, EAST. And from Ima's side, WHICH IS NORTH, the daughter emerges, WHICH IS MALCHUT, WEST. And because of that it is north-western; FROM NORTH WHICH IS IMA, TO WEST, WHICH IS MALCHUT. And that is the first corner, SINCE CORNER IS THE MEANING OF MALCHUT THAT ONE MUST ACCEPT UPON HIMSELF FIRST OF ALL. And now it is simply referred to as north, MEANING IN IMA AND LEFT COLUMN. Then one must connect it to the south, WHICH IS CHESED AND THE RIGHT COLUMN, where everything is connected, where the body, THAT IS, ZEIR ANPIN, is situated. SINCE ZEIR ANPIN EMANATES FROM ABA, AS MENTIONED ABOVE, HE IS THEREFORE CONTAINED COMPLETELY IN THE SOUTH, LIKE ABA, AND THE NORTH IS CONCEALED IN HIM. It is therefore in the south-west.

260512.Naso v127 - The Nazirite
Naso: Verse 127
עֲנָבִים אִימָּא תַּתָּאָה, דְּכָנִישׁ יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר לְגַוָּוהּ, וְעַל דָּא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִכָּל סְטָר שְׂמָאלָא, דְּלָא לְאַחֲזָאָה עוֹבָדָא דִּילְהוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ. עֲנָבִים דָּא לָא תָּלֵי שַׂעֲרָא וְדִיקְנָא. דְּהָא נוּקְבָּא בַּעְיָיא לְסַפְּרָא שַׂעֲרָא, כַּד אַתְיָא לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בִּדְכוּרָא, וְהָא דִּיקְנָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בָּהּ. בג"כ הוּא תָּלֵי שַׂעֲרָא דְּרֵישָׁא וְדִיקְנָא, וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה נְזִיר אֱלֹֹהִים אִקְרֵי, וְלָא נְזִיר יְיָ,' פָּרִישׁ מִדִּינָא כֹּלָּא.
Grapes pertain to the lower mother, MALCHUT, who gathers wine and strong drink to her. Therefore, THE NAZIRITE isolates himself from the entire left, FROM WINE AND STRONG DRINK AND GRAPES, so that none of its consequences are manifest in him. There are no hair and beard coming out of the grapes THAT ARE MALCHUT, since the female, WHICH IS MALCHUT, needs to cut her hair, THAT IS, BODY HAIR when she comes to have intercourse with the male, ZEIR ANPIN. And she has no beard. Therefore, THE NAZIRITE THAT IS FROM THE RIGHT WHERE THE ROOTS OF HAIR IS, IS OPPOSITE. The hair of the head and beard hang down, AND IT IS FORBIDDEN TO SHAVE THEM. The secret of this is that he is called "a Nazirite to Elohim" (Shoftim 13:7). HE IS ISOLATED FROM THE NAME ELOHIM THAT IS THE LEFT, and it is not 'Nazirite to Hashem,' WHICH IS THE RIGHT, SINCE HE is isolated entirely from Judgment. "NAZIRITE" MEANS ONE WHO SEPARATES HIMSELF.
Naso: Verse 128
ת"ח, עַל דָּא כְּתִיב, וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו מֵאֲשֶׁר חָטָא עַל הַנָּפֶשׁ וְגוֹ.' עַל נַפְשׁוֹ לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא עַל הַנָּפֶשׁ סְתָם. וּמַאי אִיהוּ. דָּא עֲנָבִים, דְּאִקְרֵי נֶפֶשׁ. וע"ד כְּתִיב חָטָא, בְּגִין דִּסְטָר דִּילֵיהּ יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר הוּא, וְגָרַע מִנֵּיהּ אֲתָר דִּינָא. חָטָא, מַאי חָטָא. אֶלָּא גָּרַע דִּינָא שֶׁל הַנֶּפֶשׁ.
Come and see, about this is written: "And make atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead (lit. 'Nefesh')..." It is not written: 'his Nefesh,' but simply "the Nefesh." What is that? These are grapes, MEANING MALCHUT, that are referred to as Nefesh. Hence a sin is mentioned, MEANING HE SINNED AGAINST MALCHUT, the aspect of which is that of wine and strong drink, AS MALCHUT IS BUILT MAINLY FROM THE LEFT. AND THE NAZIRITE took the place of Judgment, THAT IS, THE ILLUMINATION FROM THE LEFT, from it. HE ASKS, Why IS THIS CONSIDERED a sin? HE REPLIES: It is because HE SINNED BY depriving the Judgment from the Nefesh, MEANING THE ILLUMINATION OF ITS CHOCHMAH THAT IS DRAWN TOGETHER WITH THE JUDGMENTS OF THE LEFT.
Naso: Verse 129
אִי הָכִי, אֲמַאי וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו. בְּגִין דְּהַשְׁתָּא קָא אַתְיָא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, וְלָא מְקַבְּלָן לֵיהּ הָנֵי אַתְרֵי, עַד דְּיִמָּלֵךְ בְּכַהֲנָא, וִיכַפֵּר עָלֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ שָׁדֵי לוֹן לְבַר בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, כֵּיוָן דְּהַשְׁתָּא אָתֵי לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, בָּעֵי לְאִתְחַבְּרָא תִּקּוּנָא דְּכַפָּרָה, וִיקַבְּלוּן לֵיהּ, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה.
HE ASKS: If so, THAT A NAZIRITE ADHERES SO MUCH TO THE RIGHT, why IS IT WRITTEN FOLLOWING THAT: "And make atonement for him?" HE ANSWERS: Because he comes forth now, AFTER COMPLETING HIS ABSTENTION PERIOD, to adhere with them, WITH THE THREE ASPECTS OF THE LEFT COLUMN, AND TO BE ALLOWED WINE, STRONG DRINK AND GRAPES. These places do not accept him until he takes counsel with the priest who will atone for him, since originally he expelled them, BY ABSTAINING, and now that he returns to them he needs to adhere to Correction (formation) by atonement, so they will accept him. That is the mystical explanation of this.
Naso: Verse 130
If you wonder about Samson, who was a Nazirite to Elohim, why was he punished? HE REPLIES: It was proper for him, MEANING HE DESERVED THE PUNISHMENT because he joined in marriage with a gentile woman, MEANING DELILAH. He should have joined with his own kind, with what was appropriate for him, but he, who was holy, mingled that holiness with a daughter of a foreign El and abandoned his appropriate state of holiness. Therefore, he was punished.

260511.Naso v126 - The Nazirite
Rabbi Shimon continues by saying that the Nazirite must not cut his hair or shave because the roots of hair exist from the right side, and he is entirely isolated from judgment. After he comes back from isolation the priest must atone for him so that the Nazirite can again be allowed wine and strong drink and grapes. Rabbi Shimon says that Samson was punished because he took a gentile woman for a wife.Naso: Verse 126
ת"ח, דְּהָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא מִסִּפְרָא דְּרַב הַמְנוּנָא סָבָא, וְהָכִי הוּא. כְּתִיב גַּדֵּל פֶּרַע שְׂעַר רֹאשׁוֹ, בָּעֵי דְּיִּתְרְבֵּי שְׂעַר רֵישֵׁיהּ וְדִיקְנֵיהּ, וְיִתְפְּרִשׁ מִיַיִן וְשֵׁכָר וַעֲנָבִים, בְּגִין דְּכֻלְּהוּ סְטָר שְׂמָאלָא, וְלָא תַּלְיָין שַׂעֲרָא. יַיִן אִימָּא עִלָּאָה. שֵׁכָר סִטְרָא דַאֲחִידוּ בֵּיהּ לֵיוָאֵי וְנַפְקֵי מִיַיִן עִלָּאָה וְלָא תָּלֵי שַׂעֲרָא. ובג"כ כַּד סְלִיקוּ לֵיוָאֵי לְהַהוּא אֲתָר, בָּעֲיָין לְאַעְבְרָא כָּל שַׂעֲרָא דִּלְהוֹן, כד"א וְהֶעֱבִירוּ תַעַר עַל כָּל בְּשָׂרָם.
Come and see what I have learned from the book of Rav Hamnuna Saba (the elder). It is written: "And shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow" (Bemidbar 6:5). He must allow the hair on his head and beard to grow, and abstain from wine, strong drink and grapes, since they all pertain to the left side, but the hairs do not originate IN THEM. Wine is supernal Ima, while strong drink is of the left, to which the Levites are connected and stem from the uppermost wine, MEANING FROM SUPERNAL IMA and the hairs have no involvement WITH THEM. Therefore, when the Levites ascend to this place, TO THE LEFT, they must shave all their hair, as is said; "And let them shave all their flesh" (Bemidbar 8:7).
Naso: Verse 127
עֲנָבִים אִימָּא תַּתָּאָה, דְּכָנִישׁ יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר לְגַוָּוהּ, וְעַל דָּא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִכָּל סְטָר שְׂמָאלָא, דְּלָא לְאַחֲזָאָה עוֹבָדָא דִּילְהוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ. עֲנָבִים דָּא לָא תָּלֵי שַׂעֲרָא וְדִיקְנָא. דְּהָא נוּקְבָּא בַּעְיָיא לְסַפְּרָא שַׂעֲרָא, כַּד אַתְיָא לְאִזְדַּוְּוגָא בִּדְכוּרָא, וְהָא דִּיקְנָא לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בָּהּ. בג"כ הוּא תָּלֵי שַׂעֲרָא דְּרֵישָׁא וְדִיקְנָא, וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה נְזִיר אֱלֹֹהִים אִקְרֵי, וְלָא נְזִיר יְיָ,' פָּרִישׁ מִדִּינָא כֹּלָּא.
Grapes pertain to the lower mother, MALCHUT, who gathers wine and strong drink to her. Therefore, THE NAZIRITE isolates himself from the entire left, FROM WINE AND STRONG DRINK AND GRAPES, so that none of its consequences are manifest in him. There are no hair and beard coming out of the grapes THAT ARE MALCHUT, since the female, WHICH IS MALCHUT, needs to cut her hair, THAT IS, BODY HAIR when she comes to have intercourse with the male, ZEIR ANPIN. And she has no beard. Therefore, THE NAZIRITE THAT IS FROM THE RIGHT WHERE THE ROOTS OF HAIR IS, IS OPPOSITE. The hair of the head and beard hang down, AND IT IS FORBIDDEN TO SHAVE THEM. The secret of this is that he is called "a Nazirite to Elohim" (Shoftim 13:7). HE IS ISOLATED FROM THE NAME ELOHIM THAT IS THE LEFT, and it is not 'Nazirite to Hashem,' WHICH IS THE RIGHT, SINCE HE is isolated entirely from Judgment. "NAZIRITE" MEANS ONE WHO SEPARATES HIMSELF.

260510.Naso v124 - The Nazirite
Rabbi Aba wonders why someone who has made the vow of a Nazirite to be sanctified with holiness is not allowed to eat grapes. Rabbi Shimon answers that wine and strong drink and grapes are all attached to the same aspect, that is of the Left Column, and it is inappropriate for a Nazirite to do anything of the left side.

Naso: Verse 125
אֶלָּא, עוֹבָדָא דָּא, וּמִלָּה דָּא, רָזָא עִלָּאָה הוּא, לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִן דִּינָא בְּכֹלָּא. וְהָא יְדִיעָא הַהוּא אִילָנָא דְּחָב בֵּיהּ אָדָם קַדְמָאָה, עֲנָבִים הֲווֹ. וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה, דְּהָא יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר וַעֲנָבִים, בְּסִטְרָא חַד אִתְאֲחָדוּ. יַיִן לְעֵילָּא וְאוֹקְמוּהָ. שֵׁכָר לִשְׂמָאלָא, דְּהָא שֵׁכָר מִיַיִן נָפְקָא. עֲנָבִים דְּכָנִישׁ כֻּלְּהוּ לְגַבַּיְיהוּ, וְדָא הוּא אִילָנָא דְּחָב בֵּיהּ אָדָם קַדְמָאָה. בג"כ כֹּלָּא בְּחַד סִטְרָא אִתְאֲחָד. וְאִי תֵּימָא דְּהַאי נָזִיר שָׁבִיק מְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה. לָאו הָכִי, אֶלָּא לָא אִתְחֲזֵי בֵּיהּ עוֹבָדָא מִסְּטַר שְׂמָאלָא כְּלוּם.
HE RESPONDS: This procedure and prohibition is of the highest secret, THAT THE NAZIRITE IS to isolate himself entirely from Judgment MORE SO THAN A PRIEST. It is known that the tree by which Adam sinned was a grapevine. That is the secret of it, that wine and strong drink and grapes are attached to the same aspect, WHICH IS OF THE LEFT COLUMN; wine above, TO THE LEFT COLUMN OF BINAH, THAT IS REFERRED TO THERE AS THE PRESERVED WINE as explained. Strong drink is to the left OF ZEIR ANPIN, since strong drink is produced from wine. SO TOO THE LEFT COLUMN OF ZEIR ANPIN IS DRAWN FROM THE LEFT COLUMN OF BINAH. Grapes gather everything to them, SINCE THEY ARE MALCHUT THAT RECEIVES FROM EVERYTHING ABOVE, and that is the tree by which Adam sinned. Consequently, all of them are connected to the same side, THE LEFT OF BINAH, OF ZEIR ANPIN AND OF MALCHUT. If you say that this Nazirite has abandoned the supreme Faith, BY NOT RECEIVING FROM THE SUPERNAL BINAH, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, it is not so. It is just not appropriate for him to do anything of the left side.

260506.Haazinu - Idra Zuta ver037
Ha'azinu: Verse 37
Three heads were imprinted, one inside another, THAT IS, CONCEALED CHOCHMAH INSIDE THE SKULL and one over another, NAMELY THE UNKNOWN HEAD ABOVE THE SKULL. HE EXPLAINS, One head is concealed Chochmah, which is undisclosed and unopened. This concealed Chochmah is a beginning to every other beginning of other Chochmot. THIS IS THE FIRST HEAD FROM BELOW UPWARDS. THE SECOND HEAD is a supernal head, the most obscured Atika Kadisha, WHICH IS THE SKULL OF ARICH ANPIN. THE THIRD HEAD THAT IS LOFTY ABOVE EVERYTHING IS the head for every head, a head that is not a head, THAT IS, ITS BEING A HEAD INDICATES IT IS A BEGINNING OF EXPANSION AND COMPREHENSION, YET THIS HEAD IS ENTIRELY INCOMPREHENSIBLE because no one knows nor is it known what is in this head, because it is attached neither to Chochmah nor to Tevunah. It is thus considered, "Therefore now flee to your place" (Bemidbar 24:11), "and the living creatures ran and returned" (Yechezkel 1:14), BECAUSE NO COMPREHENSION CAN APPLY THERE.
Ha'azinu: Verse 38
For this reason Atika Kadisha, WHICH IS THE SKULL OF ARICH ANPIN is called naught, since naught derives from it, FROM THE UNKNOWN HEAD. THAT IS, SINCE THIS HEAD, THE SKULL, IS CLOSE TO THE UNKNOWN HEAD, WHICH IS UTTERLY INCOMPREHENSIBLE, IT TOO IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE, AND IS THEREFORE CALLED NAUGHT, WHICH INDICATES ITS COMPLETE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY. FOR THAT REASON all hairs and tiny hairs OVER THE SKULL DO NOT COME OUT OF THE SKULL BECAUSE NO JUDGMENTS ARE ATTACHED TO IT, BUT they come out of the concealed brain, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF THE EXPANSION OF CHOCHMAH. FOR SUPERNAL CHOCHMAH SPREADS FROM IT; THIS CHOCHMAH IS EVENTUALLY REVEALED IN MALCHUT WHERE THERE IS PLACE FOR JUDGMENTS. AND THE HAIRS ARE THE ROOT OF JUDGMENTS, AS IN, "FOR HE CRUSHES ME WITH A TEMPEST (OR: 'A HAIR')" (IYOV 9:17). HENCE THE HAIR OF THE HEAD AND BEARD COME OUT OF THE CONCEALED BRAIN, THOUGH IN THIS CASE THERE ARE NO JUDGMENTS IN THE HAIRS, BUT ROOTS ONLY. THEREFORE they are all smooth, THAT IS, SOFT WITHOUT JUDGMENT. AND THEY ARE ALL EQUAL in weight, BECAUSE EVERYTHING HERE IS OF THE SAME LIGHT OF MERCY and the back of the neck is invisible, WHICH INDICATES JUDGMENTS AND HIND PARTS, ACCORDING TO THE VERSE, "AND THEY HAVE TURNED THEIR BACK TO ME, AND NOT THEIR FACE" (YIRMEYAH 32:33).
Ha'azinu: Verse 39
All this stems from the fact that this Atika is of the same LIGHT, NAMELY THE REIGN OF CHASSADIM, WHICH IS WHY THERE IS NO ROOM FOR JUDGMENT TO APPEAR. It is all in joy and never changes FROM THE ILLUMINATION of Mercy. THAT IS, THOUGH WE DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THREE COLUMNS, RIGHT, LEFT AND CENTRAL IN IT, IT NEVER STRAYS FROM THE ASPECT OF THE RIGHT COLUMN, AND IS EVER OF MERCY AND CHASSADIM IN NATURE. It abides in the thirteen attributes of Mercy, because the hidden Chochmah in it divides three times into fours, WHICH IS TWELVE, and it (Atika ITSELF) includes them and rules over everything. TOGETHER WITH IT, THERE ARE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES.
Ha'azinu: Verse 40
One path shines in THE MIDDLE OF the division of the hairs that come out of the CONCEALED brain, WHICH IS CONCEALED CHOCHMAH. It is the path where the righteous shine in the World to Come, as it is written, "But the path of just men is like the gleam of sunlight" (Mishlei 4:18), "then shall you delight yourself in Hashem..." (Yeshayah 58:14). From this path shine all other paths that derive from Zeir Anpin, WHICH ARE 613 PATHS.