Kabbalah - Rabbi Aryeh Rotenberg

260601.ShlachLecha v224
We learn that we must close the eyes of a dead person because the eyes are the colors of this world, and the appearance and shape of this world is contained in them, so this world and its appearance must be closed off to him. It was Joseph who closed his father's eyes because he was so beloved, and with this action he was taking his father's sight now that his father's sight from this world is lost. From that point on his father is having a different sight of the other world prepared for him. During the time of the resurrection of the dead, not the tiniest thing will occur of the activities of this world; everything will first be destroyed and the person will be purified, and then his body will be made like a new creation. This is like it is now in the Upper World even before the resurrection.Shlach Lecha: Verse 224
He said to him, What new discovery was there now when you came to me? He said, The head of the Yeshivah opened the discussion saying, "And Joseph shall put his hand on your eyes" (Beresheet 46:4). That is A TIDING OF gladness. HE INQUIRES: Why is it required to close the eyes of a dead person? HE RESPONDS: Since the eyes are the colors of this world and the appearance and shape of this world is contained in them, IT FOLLOWS THAT WITH THE CLOSING OF THE EYES, he closes off to him this world and its appearance. When his eyes are closed, the entire world is dimmed to him AND IF they dim for him the sight of his eyes, he has no sight of this world from there onwards. Rabbi Shimon said, The expositions of those who went before us are beautiful; their wisdom surpasses those of the holy angels.
Shlach Lecha: Verse 225
He said to him: Why should it have been Joseph who placed his hand rather than all the other sons? If you think that he told him so as a result of his good tidings, THAT JOSEPH IS STILL ALIVE, then it should have said, 'You shall see Joseph alive.' WHY DID HE SAY: "AND JOSEPH SHALL PUT HIS HAND ON YOUR EYES?'' He said to him: "put his hand" is because he was his beloved. Therefore, he closed from him the light of this world and he took it himself. Whoever closes the eyes of his beloved shows by that: Your sight of this world is lost, and I take your sight instead. From now on, they will prepare for you a different sight of that world. THIS IS THE REASON THAT THIS MATTER WAS GIVEN TO JOSEPH, SINCE HE WAS MORE BELOVED TO JACOB THAN ANY OF HIS SONS.
Shlach Lecha: Verse 226
Rabbi Shimon asked, What good will this provide to the dead and what benefit is there in it? Whoever will ask about this, IT IS NECESSARY to tell him that there is a need to open the eyes OF THE DEAD in order to show him that he will return to the sight of this world as before - MEANING, HE WILL BE RESURRECTED WITH THE DEAD TO LIFE.
Shlach Lecha: Verse 227
He said to him, Oh, holy pious one. Certainly, if the sight of this world were not closed off to him entirely and he didn't lose it completely, he would have no sight and portion in that world, for this world has an opposite polarity from the world that we are in. During the time of the resurrection of the dead, even the tiniest thing will not occur of the activities of this world, since everything will first be destroyed by that dew, MEANING THE DEW OF RESURECTION. It will remove from him all the filth and then he will become like dough, and from it the body will be made like a new creation. So it is here, IN THE UPPER WORLD EVEN BEFORE THE RESURRECTION.

260528.Behaalotcha

260520.Naso - Idra Raba v008
Idra Raba: Verse 8
Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "A talebearer (lit. 'goer') reveals secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter" (Mishlei 11:13). This verse is difficult, but it should have said 'tale-man.' What is a TALE goer? HE REPLIES: It refers to someone who is not settled in mind and not trustworthy. Whatever he has heard goes within him like a board in the water THAT DOES NOT SINK UNTIL it is expelled outside, MEANING TO SAY HE HAS NO REST UNTIL HE REVEALS WHATEVER HE HEARD TO SOMEONE ELSE. What is the reason? It is because his spirit is not stable, SETTLED. Of him who has a stable spirit, it says "But he that is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter." A faithful spirit MEANS a stable spirit. It all depends on the spirit. It is also written: "Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin" (Kohelet 5:5).
Idra Raba: Verse 9
The world is preserved only through secrecy and if, in worldly things, secrecy is a prerequisite, it is so much more certain that the mysteries of mysteries of Atik Yomin are not even passed on to the angels above. Rabbi Shimon said: To the heavens, I don't say to listen. To the earth I don't say to hear, since we maintain the worlds. THAT IS TO SAY, MOSES AND ISAIAH MADE THE HEAVENS AND EARTH WITNESSES TO PUNISH THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL IF THEY DO NOT MAINTAIN THE WORLDS, THAT THE HEAVENS WILL NOT GIVE ITS RAIN NOR THE EARTH ITS CROPS. BUT RABBI SHIMON WAS SPEAKING TO THE RIGHTEOUS, WHO MAINTAIN THE WORLD AND HAVE NO NEED FOR WITNESSES. We have learned of the mysteries of mysteries. When Rabbi Shimon began with the secrets of secrets, the place shook and the friends trembled.
Idra Raba: Verse 10
He revealed in secret and opened the discussion with the verse: "And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king..." (Beresheet 36:31). Blessed are you, righteous, to whom were revealed the inner secrets of the Torah, which are not revealed to the most holy beings up high, MEANING THE ANGELS. Who will be attentive to this and who will deserve this, THE VERSE: "AND THESE ARE THE KINGS..." That is evidence about overall faith. May the prayer be accepted that it will not be considered a sin to reveal this. What will the friends say, since this verse is difficult, since it was unnecessary to write this because we could see how many kings Edom had before the children of Yisrael came along, and prior to the children of Yisrael having a king? What is shown to us here? It is a high secret and men are incapable of knowing and understanding and contemplating this, SINCE IT ALLUDES TO THE SUPERNAL WORLDS.
Idra Raba: Verse 11
We have learned about the most Ancient of ancients, the most hidden of hidden, before he prepared his constructions and the crowns of crowns. THE PREPARATION OF THE VESSELS AND READYING THEM TO RECEIVE THE LIGHTS ARE CALLED CONSTRUCTIONS. THE LIGHTS THEMSELVES ARE CALLED CROWNS, DERIVED FROM THE VERSE: "THE CROWN WITH WHICH HIS MOTHER CROWNED HIM" (SHIR HASHIRIM 3:11). There did not yet exist a beginning nor an end, WHICH ARE UPPER CHOCHMAH, THE BEGINNING OF REVELATION, AND LOWER CHOCHMAH, THE END OF REVELATION. He was carving and estimating the limits of it, MEANING OF REVEALING THE BEGINNING AND THE END. He laid out a boundary and in it he marked and measured kings.
Idra Raba: Verse 12
His constructions were not maintained. This is what is written: "And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Yisrael," MEANING BEFORE the first king that reigned over the first children of Yisrael. All that were recorded were called by their names but did not survive so eventually he abandoned them and hid them; he was elevated by that boundary and established with His own Corrections (formations).

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.