Kabbalah - Rabbi Aryeh Rotenberg

260519.Naso - Idra Raba v003
Idra Raba: Verse 3
Rabbi Shimon sat down and wept. He said: Woe if I do reveal and woe if I do not reveal. IF HE DOES NOT REVEAL, THE NEW UNDERSTANDINGS IN THE TORAH WILL GET LOST, AND IF HE DOES REVEAL, PERHAPS SOMEONE WHO IS NOT WORTHY OF THE HIDDEN MEANINGS OF THE TORAH MIGHT HEAR. The friends that were there kept silent. Finally, Rabbi Aba stood up and said to him: If my lord is graceful enough to reveal, behold it says, "The secret of Hashem is with them that fear him" (Tehilim 25:14). These friends fear the Holy One, blessed be He. They have already gained entry to the chamber of residence. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT some of them entered THIS GREAT CHAMBER and some of them exited, BUT NOT ALL SINCE THREE FRIENDS PASSED AWAY.
Idra Raba: Verse 4
We have learned that the friends were counted who were present before Rabbi Shimon. The following were present: Rabbi Elazar, his son, Rabbi Aba, Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosi ben Ya'akov, Rabbi Yitzchak, Rabbi Chizkiyah ben Rav, Rabbi Chiya, Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Yesa. They stretched their hands to Rabbi Shimon with the fingers straightened upward. They entered the field among the trees and sat down. Rabbi Shimon stood up and prayed his prayer, sat down among them and said: Let everyone place his hands in his bosom. Each one placed his hands IN HIS OWN BOSOM AND RABBI SHIMON accepted them. He opened the discussion saying, "Cursed be the man that makes any carved or molten idol, an abomination of Hashem, the work of the hands of a craftsman, and sets it up in secret. And all the people" - ALL THE FRIENDS - "shall answer and say, 'Amen' " (Devarim 27:15).
Idra Raba: Verse 5
Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion with the verse: "It is time to act for Hashem: THEY HAVE MADE VOID YOUR TORAH" (TEHILIM 119:126), WHICH MEANS why is this a time to act for Hashem? Because "they have made void your Torah." What does "they have made void your Torah" mean? MEANING: They have made void the Torah above, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN, because she becomes void if she is not observed with her establishments, AS THE FOLLOWING WILL EXPLAIN. THIS VERSE was said to Atik Yomin (the Ancient of Days), WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF THE ROOT OF ALL CORRECTIONS (FORMATIONS), AS IN THE FOLLOWING EXPLANATION. It says, "Happy are you, Yisrael: who is like you" (Devarim 33:29), BECAUSE THEY ADHERE TO THE CENTRAL COLUMN and "Who is like you, Hashem, among the Elim" (Shemot 15:11). THIS APPLIES TO ZEIR ANPIN, WHO IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN.
Idra Raba: Verse 6
He called on his son Rabbi Elazar and made him sit in front of him. Rabbi Aba was on the other side and said: We are all inclusive, SINCE THE SOUL OF RABBI ELAZAR WAS OF CHOCHMAH AND THAT OF RABBI ABA WAS BINAH, AND RABBI SHIMON HIMSELF WAS DA'AT THAT UNIFIES CHOCHMAH AND BINAH TO EACH OTHER. THAT IS WHY HE SAID THAT THEY WERE ALL INCLUSIVE, SINCE CHOCHMAH, BINAH AND DA'AT INCLUDE ALL THE GRADES. Until now the pillars were constructed, MEANING THAT TO THIS POINT THEY WERE INVOLVED IN CORRECTING THE THREE COLUMNS, ALSO CALLED THREE PILLARS. They were silent. They heard a sound and their knees were knocking together BECAUSE OF FEAR. What was the sound? That was the sound of the friends above who were gathering, MEANING THE CHARIOTS OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE.
Idra Raba: Verse 7
Rabbi Shimon rejoiced and said, "Hashem, I have heard the report of you, and I was afraid" (Chavakuk 3:2). It was true there that he feared SINCE HIS ROOT WAS FROM THE LEFT COLUMN, BUT as for us WHO ARE UNITED WITH THE CENTRAL COLUMN, it comes from love, MEANING CHASSADIM, THAT ARE THE ASPECT OF LOVE, as it is written: "And you shall love [CG1]Hashem your Elohim" (Devarim 6:5), and: "Because Hashem loved you" (Devarim 7:8) and also: "I have loved you..." (Malachi 1:2).

260518.Naso v130
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.
Naso: Verse 131
Some say that he has no part in that world. Why is that? It is because he said, "Let my Nefesh die with the Philistines" (Shoftim 16:30) and he passed his lot with the lot of the Philistines, so that his Nefesh will die with them in that world. This is the way they used to proclaim to the Nazirite: 'Go all around - that you may not come near the vineyard.' The friends have already explained it.
Naso: Verse 132
Here is what is written about the Levites: "And thus shall you do to them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying on them, and let them shave all their flesh" (Bemidbar 8:7). As soon as they shave their hair and fulfill all this, the Levites are considered pure but not holy. But as soon as the Nazirite isolates from the side OF THE LEFT, he is considered holy and not pure. Thus, it is written: "All the days of his vow of his separation...during which he separates himself to Hashem, he shall be holy" (Bemidbar 6:5).
Naso: Verse 133
"And shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow" (Ibid.). It is because it is written: "And the hair of whose head was like pure wool" (Daniel 7:9). By this, he is similar to the higher, SINCE HIS HAIR DRAWS CHASSADIM AND WITHOUT JUDGMENT, SINCE HE IS WHOLLY OF THE RIGHT. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rav said: With his hair alone, it is apparent that he is holy, as it is written ABOUT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE: "His locks are wavy" (Shir Hashirim 5:11).
Naso: Verse 134
Rabbi Shimon taught, If people would know what is spoken about this hair and its secret meaning, as it is ABOVE in the utmost secrecy, they would have distinguished themselves to their Master with the highest wisdom. Up to here have been the secrets of the Torah; from now on Sitrei Torah: "And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to Hashem" (Yeshayah 23:18).
Naso: Verse 135
"Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'In this way you shall bless'" (Bemidbar 6:22). Rabbi Yitzchak opened the discussion saying, "But the steadfast love of Hashem is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children" (Tehilim 103:17). How great is awe in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He; that awe includes humility and humility includes piety. Thus whoever has fear of sin has them all. Whoever does not fear heaven has neither humility nor piety.
Naso: Verse 136
We have learned that whoever left the realm of awe but acquired humility, humility is better, and he has them all, as it is written: "The reward of humility and (is) the fear of Hashem" (Mishlei 22:4). All of those who have fear of heaven acquire humility, and everyone who has humility acquires piety. Everyone that has fear of heaven acquires all: humility, as it is written: "The reward of humility is the fear of Hashem," and piety (Chesed), as it is written: "But the steadfast love (Chesed) of Hashem is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear Him."
Naso: Verse 137
We learned that every man who has piety is referred to as the angel of Hashem, Hashem Tzva'ot. This is what is meant by: "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek Torah at his mouth: for he is a messenger (angel) of Hashem Tzva'ot" (Malachi 2:7). Rabbi Yehuda asked: Why did the priest merit to be referred to as the angel of Hashem Tzva'ot? Just like the angel of Hashem Tzva'ot is a priest above, IN HEAVEN, so too is a priest an angel of Hashem Tzva'ot below.

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.