Kabbalah - Rabbi Aryeh Rotenberg

260614.Chukat v001
Chukat: Verse 1
"And Hashem spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 'This is the ordinance of the Torah which Hashem has commanded'" (Bemidbar 19:1-2). Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion saying: "and this is the Torah which Moses set before the children of Yisrael" (Devarim 4:44). Come and behold: the words of the Torah are holy, lofty, and sweet, as it is written: "more to be desired are they than gold, and much fine gold: sweeter also than honey..." (Tehilim 19:11). It is as if whoever studies the Torah stands every day at Mount Sinai and receives the Torah. This is what it says: "this day you are become a people" (Devarim 27:9). And the friends have already set the explanation.
Chukat: Verse 2
It is written here: "this is the ordinance of the Torah," and it is also, "and this is the Torah," BUT IT IS NOT WRITTEN, 'THE ORDINANCE.' What is the difference between this and that? HE RESPONDS: It is a lofty secret and that is what we learned. The words, "and this is the Torah," are to show that all is in one unison and to unite the Congregation of Yisrael, THAT IS MALCHUT, with the Holy One, blessed be He, THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN, so that all will be one. Therefore, "and this is the Torah." Why is there the addition of "and" (Heb. Vav), TO "this?'' It is only to show that as we are taught, all is one without division. The words, "and this," indicate the general and the particular, NAMELY male and female combined together, SINCE VAV IS MALE, THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS GENERAL - AND "THIS" IS FEMALE, MEANING MALCHUT, WHICH IS PARTICULAR. Therefore, it is assuredly WRITTEN: "and this is the Torah," TO INDICATE ZEIR ANPIN AND THE NUKVA IN ONE UNISON. However, "this," without the additional Vav is specifically the ordinance of the Torah, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS CONSIDERED THE ORDINANCE. AND it EMANATES FROM ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE TORAH, but is not the Torah ITSELF, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. It is ONLY the law of the Torah, the decree of Torah, WHICH IS MALCHUT.
Chukat: Verse 3
Come and behold: IT IS WRITTEN, "this is that which belongs to the Levites" (Bemidbar 8:24). It is not WRITTEN, 'and this,' WITH A VAV, since they emerge from the side of Judgment, WHICH IS FROM THE LEFT SIDE AND FROM THE SIDE OF MALCHUT THAT IS ERECTED FROM THE LEFT, and not from the angle of Compassion, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. THEREFORE, "THIS" IT IS WRITTEN WITHOUT A VAV, MEANING MALCHUT WITHOUT ZEIR ANPIN. Rabbi Yehuda said: Yet it is written, "and this do to them, that they may live" (Bemidbar 4:19). Here, "THIS" IS WITH A VAV, and it is said about the Levites, and yet you say THAT THE LEVITES ARE THE ASPECT OF "this," and not of, "and this." He said to him: It is most certainly so, THAT THEY ARE IN THE ASPECT OF, "AND THIS." The scripture proves that whoever holds on to deadly poison spices but does not blend into it life-giving spices will certainly die. Therefore, IT IS WRITTEN: "And this do to them, that they may live," MEANING THAT "THIS," WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, CONSIDERED THE TREE OF DEATH, SHOULD JOIN WITH VAV, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN, THE TREE OF LIFE. "...And not die..." (Ibid.) This is because the spice of life is mixed with it. THEREFORE, "and this do to them, that they may live, and not die," since they require, "and this," and not 'this.' THEREFORE, the verse: "and this is the Torah," INDICATES that it really is actually in one union, a union of total perfection, male and female in one inclusion; THAT IS THE SECRET OF Vav-Hei. However, "this," ALONE WITHOUT THE VAV, is a Hei alone WITHOUT A VAV, THAT IS, MALCHUT WITHOUT ZEIR ANPIN. About this, it IS WRITTEN: "this is the ordinance of the Torah."

260611.Korach v014
Korach: Verse 14
"And they fell upon their faces, and said, 'El, Elohim of the spirits of all flesh'" (Bemidbar 16:22). Come and behold: Moses and Aaron gave themselves up to death. How? It is written: "and they fell upon their faces, and said, 'El, Elohim of the spirits (Heb. ruchot).'" Ruchot is spelled with the Vav missing. Therefore, that is the Tree of Death, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and the falling on the face is always to that side. Therefore, IT IS WRITTEN, "El, Elohim of," as it is written: "and El Who has indignation every day" (Tehilim 7:12), WHICH REFERS TO MALCHUT. "...Elohim of the spirits..." is the source where all the world's souls are bound together and all the souls ascend there. From there they come, THAT IS, MALCHUT.
Korach: Verse 15
Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with the verse: "hear my words O wise men; and give ear to me, you who have knowledge" (Iyov 34:2). Elihu spoke this verse. Come and behold: it is written, "also against his three friends did his anger burn, because they had found no answer" (Iyov 32:3), since they did speak but Iyov was not consoled by them. From here we take a lesson that whoever comes to console the mourner must structure his speech first, SO THAT THEY ARE WORTHY TO CONSOLE HIM. Job's friends spoke words of truth but not to console him, and since it requires words that THE MOURNER will acknowledge, then he will accept upon himself the Judgment. And he acknowledged the Holy King, as it is written: "now Elihu had waited to speak to Iyov" (Ibid. 4), since he acknowledged himself afterward to the Holy One, blessed be He, and accepted upon himself the sentence of heaven.
Korach: Verse 16
Come and behold: it is written, "therefore hearken to me, you men of understanding: far be it from El, that He should do wickedness; and from Shadai, that He should commit iniquity" (Iyov 34:10). "Therefore hearken to me, you men of understanding" (Ibid.); these are the most perfected who can discern the matters. And "far be it from El that He should do wickedness." This is what is written: "and El Who has indignation every day" (Ibid.); THAT REFERS TO MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'EL.' "...and from Shadai, that He should commit iniquity" (Ibid.); this one is close to that one, SINCE SHADAI IS YESOD THAT IS NEAR EL, WHICH IS MALCHUT. It was already explained that in, "El Shadai," EL REFERS TO MALCHUT AND SHADAI REFERS TO YESOD. "For the work of a man shall He pay back to him" (Ibid. 11). If a person walks about in this world performing deeds and sins before his Master, that deed impends upon Him to reward him with Judgment. This is what it says: "that the man's deed will pay him," as that particular act THAT HE PERFORMED will pay him.
Korach: Verse 17
With all this, "if he set his heart upon Him" (Ibid. 14). As soon as a person places his heart and will to return to his Master, then El, the Elohim, will "gather to Himself his spirit and his breath (Heb. neshamah)" (Ibid.). He will gather to him to bind them in the bundle of life and he does not leave his Nefesh out to be judged in another Judgment.

260610.Korach v009
Korach: Verse 9
"And they rose up before Moses..." (Bemidbar 16:2). This verse has been explained by the friends. Rabbi Shimon says: "Regularly summoned (Heb. kri'ei) to the congregation (Heb. mo'ed)" (Ibid.), is missing a Yud. Why is it written "Kriei?'' HE RESPONDS: It is only that the earthly kingdom is like heavenly kingdom, MEANING THAT MALCHUT BELOW IS LIKE MALCHUT ABOVE. That is the secret meaning of all these higher Sfirot onto which the Holy Name holds. All are summoned from the place that is called 'Holiness,' THAT IS THE SECRET OF SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA, as it is written: "which you shall proclaim to be (also: 'summoned from') holy gatherings" (Vayikra 23:37). When is this? When mo'ed prevails in the world, THAT IS, DURING FESTIVALS AND APPOINTED TIMES (HEB. MO'ED). Just as these higher Sfirot are summoned by the Upper Temple, SO AS TO SANCTIFY THEM, similarly the Lower Sanctity summons its legions to adorn and uplift them. THESE ARE THREE WORLDS BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH, WHICH ARE THE LEGIONS OF MALCHUT THAT ADORNS THEM AND UPLIFTS THEM TO ATZILUT.
Korach: Verse 10
The higher Holiness is known AS ABA AND IMA ABOVE, and the lower Holiness is the wisdom of Solomon, MEANING MALCHUT, which also summons all her legions TO SANCTIFY THEM WITH HER HOLINESS. These legions are all invited to be adorned in this lower Holiness at a time when a festival prevails in the world. As her legions are standing above IN ATZILUT SUMMONED BY MALCHUT, so are the appointed of the nation, MEANING THE CHIEFTAINS OF YISRAEL, according to her example below, IN THIS WORLD. Therefore, it is written as: "summoned to the congregation (Heb. mo'ed)," and of those below it is written, "summoned (Heb. kri'ei) to the congregation;'' "Kriei" is missing a Yud. However, they are then in increased wholeness.
Korach: Verse 11
"...Men of renown (also: 'name')..." (Bemidbar 16:2) is most certainly said and not 'men of Hashem' - MEANING THE PEOPLE OF MALCHUT CALLED 'NAME,' but not 'men of Hashem,' THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN. That is the secret of "and he who blasphemes the Name of Hashem shall be put to death" (Vayikra 24:16). We established THAT IT ALLUDES TO MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED 'NAME' and, therefore, they were certainly considered men of name, since they emerged from the aspect of Gvurah, WHICH IS MALCHUT CALLED 'THE LOWER GVURAH.' They are men of name and that WAS SAID to increase their praise. However, they took HER for themselves, MEANING THEY SEPARATED MALCHUT FROM ZEIR ANPIN, and held on to a dissension WITH MOSES, WHO IS THE SECRET OF ZEIR ANPIN.
Korach: Verse 12
"Tomorrow morning Hashem will show who is His" (Bemidbar 16:5). HE INQUIRES: Why in the morning, PRECISELY, and why "holy" and not pure, MEANING "AND WHO IS HOLY; AND WILL CAUSE HIM TO COME NEAR TO HIM" (IBID.)? IT SHOULD HAVE SAID, 'AND WHO IS PURE.' HE REPLIES: For they, THE CONGREGATION OF KORAH, came from the pure side, SINCE THE LEVITES ARE IN THE ASPECT OF PURE, AND NOT HOLY, and the priest is holy. Moses said in the morning when the Sfirah of the priest, WHICH IS CHESED, gets awakened in the world: 'If you are priests, here is the morning. Let them perform the service of the morning,' WHICH IS CHESED. Then, "Hashem will show who is His, and who is holy." "...who is His..." is unspecific, which is the Levi. "...and who is holy..." is the priest. Then, "and will cause him to come near to Him," HE WHO IS HOLY. There is no one who can discern the matter except the morning. THUS, HE SPOKE TO THEM: 'If you find yourself remaining on the side of Judgment, the morning, WHICH IS CHESED, will not tolerate you, since that is not the time of Judgment. But if you see yourselves remaining in Chesed, then here is its time. And you will stay with it, and it will accept you.'

260609.Korach ver005
Korach: Verse 5
Korah turned to disagreement. What is the meaning of disagreement? Distancing and repulsion; the distancing and repulsion of what is above and below, and whoever wishes to postpone the restoration of the universe will become lost from all the worlds. Conflict is a distancing of peace, and whoever is in conflict about peace is in disagreement with His Holy Name, because His Holy Name is called 'Peace.'
Korach: Verse 6
Come and behold: the world does not exist except through peace. When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, it could not endure until He came and made peace dwell upon them. What is it? It is the Shabbat, which is the peace of the upper and the lower grades. And then the world endured. THEREFORE, whoever creates dissension about this PEACE will be lost from the world.
Korach: Verse 7
Zelophehad was in dissension with the Shabbat because he was gathering wood (or: 'trees'). What were these trees? These were the other trees OF THE SEVENTY CHIEFTAINS, as we mentioned. These were secular matters and secular concerns do not prevail in sanctity. HENCE, he was in conflict with the world peace, WHICH IS SHABBAT, BECAUSE HE BLENDED THE SECULAR WITH THE SHABBAT.
Korach: Verse 8
Rabbi Yosi says that it is written: "great peace have they who love Your Torah" (Tehilim 119:165). The Torah is peace, as it is written: "and all her paths are peace" (Mishlei 3:17). And Korah came to blemish that peace of above - WHICH IS THE TORAH, MEANING THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT IS CALLED 'TORAH' THAT PRODUCES PEACE BETWEEN THE RIGHT AND LEFT, and of below, OF MOSES. Therefore, he was punished from the higher and the lower aspects BY FIRE AND BY THE OPENING OF THE EARTHLY CHASM.
Korach: Verse 9
"And they rose up before Moses..." (Bemidbar 16:2). This verse has been explained by the friends. Rabbi Shimon says: "Regularly summoned (Heb. kri'ei) to the congregation (Heb. mo'ed)" (Ibid.), is missing a Yud. Why is it written "Kriei?'' HE RESPONDS: It is only that the earthly kingdom is like heavenly kingdom, MEANING THAT MALCHUT BELOW IS LIKE MALCHUT ABOVE. That is the secret meaning of all these higher Sfirot onto which the Holy Name holds. All are summoned from the place that is called 'Holiness,' THAT IS THE SECRET OF SUPERNAL ABA AND IMA, as it is written: "which you shall proclaim to be (also: 'summoned from') holy gatherings" (Vayikra 23:37). When is this? When mo'ed prevails in the world, THAT IS, DURING FESTIVALS AND APPOINTED TIMES (HEB. MO'ED). Just as these higher Sfirot are summoned by the Upper Temple, SO AS TO SANCTIFY THEM, similarly the Lower Sanctity summons its legions to adorn and uplift them. THESE ARE THREE WORLDS BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH, WHICH ARE THE LEGIONS OF MALCHUT THAT ADORNS THEM AND UPLIFTS THEM TO ATZILUT.
Korach: Verse 10
The higher Holiness is known AS ABA AND IMA ABOVE, and the lower Holiness is the wisdom of Solomon, MEANING MALCHUT, which also summons all her legions TO SANCTIFY THEM WITH HER HOLINESS. These legions are all invited to be adorned in this lower Holiness at a time when a festival prevails in the world. As her legions are standing above IN ATZILUT SUMMONED BY MALCHUT, so are the appointed of the nation, MEANING THE CHIEFTAINS OF YISRAEL, according to her example below, IN THIS WORLD. Therefore, it is written as: "summoned to the congregation (Heb. mo'ed)," and of those below it is written, "summoned (Heb. kri'ei) to the congregation;'' "Kriei" is missing a Yud. However, they are then in increased wholeness.

260607.ShlachLecha v315
Shlach Lecha: Verse 315
"And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the River" (Shemot 2:5). This DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH came from the left aspect of harsh Judgment, as it is written: "To wash herself at the River." "At the River" is exact, instead of "at the sea," SINCE THE SEA INDICATES MALCHUT. HOWEVER, THE RIVER IS HARSH JUDGMENT FROM THE LEFT SIDE, WHICH THE EGYPTIANS HAVE MADE THEIR DEITY. If you wonder about this, that it is written: "And your rod, with which you smote the river" (Shemot 17:5), although Moses never struck the river but rather the sea. The verse refers to it as river INDICATING THAT THE TERM RIVER IS NOT ACCURATE. HE REPLIES: It is indeed the River which Aaron struck under Moses direction, and the scripture assigned it as if Moses himself did the striking.
Shlach Lecha: Verse 316
Similarly, "And seven days were completed, after Hashem had smitten the River" (Shemot 7:25). EVEN THOUGH Aaron struck it, it is only because it came from the Holy One, blessed be He, WHO COMMANDED HIM, that the scripture referred to it as: "Hashem had smitten." Later on, it was referred to in the name of Moses, FOR THE SAME REASON. "And her maidens walked along" (Shemot 2:5): These are the rest of the camps that came from that LEFT side.
Shlach Lecha: Verse 317
"And when she had opened it, she saw him, the child" (Ibid. 6). HE INQUIRES: What is: "she saw him?'' "She saw" was the proper way to use. Why "she saw him?'' Didn't Rabbi Shimon say that there was nothing in the Torah, or even one letter in the Torah, that does not contain highly valuable secrets? HE RESPONDS: That is how we have learned. The impression of the King and the Matron, THAT ARE ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, THE SECRET OF VAV-HEI OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, was found upon him, and that is the impression of Vav-Hei THAT WERE ADDED TO "SHE SAW (HEB. VATERE)." THEREFORE, IT IS SPELLED "VATIR'EHU (ENG. 'SHE SAW HIM')." Instantly, "she had compassion on him..." (Ibid.). Up to here it relates to the higher, TO HIGHER REALMS. From here on, IT DISCUSSES THIS WORLD below, except for this verse, in which is written: "And his sister stood afar off" (Ibid. 4). HE INQUIRES: Whose sister, AND REPLIES: The sister of the one, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, who called the Congregation of Yisrael my sister, as it says, "Open to me, my sister" (Shir Hashirim 5:2). "afar off" MEANS as in, "Hashem appeared from afar to me" (Yirmeyah 31:2).
Shlach Lecha: Verse 318
HE INQUIRES: What is to be derived FROM THIS PASSAGE? HE REPLIES: It means that all these righteous, prior to their descent to the world, are made known to all above. THAT APPLIES TO ALL THE RIGHTEOUS, and most certainly to Moses. It means that the souls of the righteous are derived from a lofty place, SINCE "of the house of Levi" ALLUDES TO SUPERNAL CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, as we have explained. We learned the secret of the matter, which means that there are a father and a mother to the soul, as there are a father and mother to the body on earth, SINCE A MAN IS ZEIR ANPIN AND "DAUGHTER OF LEVI" IS MALCHUT. AND FROM THEIR UNION, THE SOUL OF MOSES WAS BORN.
Shlach Lecha: Verse 319
It seems on all sides, both above, THE MALE AND FEMALE PRINCIPLES, and below, FATHER AND MOTHER OF THIS WORLD, that is comprised of male and female. That is how the secret of the scripture was explained: "Let the earth bring forth living creatures (Heb. Nefesh)" (Beresheet 1:24). "The earth" refers to the Congregation of Yisrael THAT IS MALCHUT; the living Soul (lit. 'Nefesh') IS the Soul (lit. 'Nefes') of supernal Adam, as we have learned, SINCE MALCHUT IS THE MOTHER OF THE SOUL (LIT. 'NEFESH') OF THE FIRST MAN. Rabbi Aba approached him and kissed him. He said, You certainly spoke properly, and it is as you say.