An ongoing series
[I recently purchased the new, English translation of the Zohar, the book that laid the foundation for Jewish mystical thought and the Kabbalah. It is the most important book in Judaism after the Bible and the Talmud. As I go through the Zohar, I will be publishing excerpts here for any readers who may be interested in addition to my series of commentaries on each week’s Torah portion.]
Haqdamat Sefer HaZohar (1:5b to 1:6b)
Rabbi El’azar was going to see Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Shim’on son of lekona, his father-in-law. Rabbi Abba accompanied him, and a man was goading the donkeys behind them.
Rabbi Abba said, “Let us open openings of Torah, for the time is ripe to adorn ourselves on our way.”
Rabbi El’azar opened, saying, “My Sabbaths you are to observe (Leviticus 19:30). Come and see: In six days the blessed Holy One created the world. Every single day revealed its work, transmitting its power through that day. When did it reveal its work and transmit its power? On the fourth day, for those first three days were all concealed, not revealed. When the fourth day arrived, it generated the work and power of them all, since fire, water, and air — although they are three etheral elements — were all suspended, their work unrevealed until earth revealed them. Then the skill of each one of them was made known.
“Now you might say this happened on the third day, concerning which it is written: Let the earth sprout vegetation, and The earth brought forth vegetation (Genesis 1:11-12). But although written on the third day, it was really the fourth, included in the third to be one without division. From the fourth day on, its work was revealed, yielding an artisan for each and every skill, for the fourth day constitutes the fourth leg of the celestial throne. All of the work of all of them, both earlier and later days, was dependent on the Sabbath day, as is written: God included in the seventh day His work that He had made (Genesis 2:2). This is Sabbath, the fourth leg of the throne.
“Now you might ask, ‘If so, why My Sabbaths you are to observe, two?’ The answer is: the Sabbath of Sabbath eve and the Sabbath of the day itself, which are indivisible.”
The rambling donkey-driver goading behind them said, “And what is My sanctuary you are to hold in awe (Leviticus 19:30)”?
He replied, “This is the holiness of the Sabbath.”
He said, “What is the holiness of the Sabbath?”
He replied, “This is the holiness drawn from above.”
He said, “If so, you have turned the Sabbath into something not holy except for the holiness that rests upon it from above!”
Rabbi Abba said, “So it is: Call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of God honored (Isaiah 58:33). Sabbath and holy of God are each mentioned separately.”
He said, “If so, who is holy of God?”
He replied, “Holiness that descends from above, resting upon it.”
He said, “If holiness drawn from above is called honored, then it appears that the Sabbath is not honored. Yet it is written: And honor it (Isaiah 58:13)!”
Rabbi El’azar said to Rabbi Abba, “Let this man be! Within him lies a new word we do not know.”
They said to him, “Speak!”
He opened, saying, “את שבתותי (Et Shabbetotai), My Sabbaths. את (Et) amplifies the meaning to include the range of Sabbath, which is 2,000 cubits in every direction. So the meaning is expanded: את שבתותי (Et Shabbetotai), My Sabbaths — one is the higher Sabbath; the other, the lower Sabbath; both included as one, concealed as one.
“Another Sabbath was left unmentioned and felt ashamed. She said before Him, ‘Master of the universe, since the day You created me, I have been called Sabbath — and there can be no day without night.’ He replied, ‘My daughter, you are Sabbath — I call you Sabbath — but I am about to crown you with a higher crown.’ He issued a proclamation: My sanctuary you are to hold in awe. This is the Sabbath of Sabbat eve, who is in awe and in whom awe dwells. Who is that? The one included by the blessed Holy One when He said I am God.
“I heard my father say so precisely: את (Et) includes the range of Sabbath. My Sabbaths are a circle with a square inscribed within. They are two, corresponding to which are two hallowings we should recite. One is ויכלו (Vaykhullu), And they [heaven and earth] were completed… (Genesis 2:1-3); the other, קדוש (qiddush), hallowing. Vaykhullu contains thirty-five words, and in the qiddush that we recite there are thirty-five words, although amounting to seventy names of the blessed Holy One, with which Assembly of Israel is adorned. Since this circle and square are My Sabbaths, they are both included in שמור (Shamor), Observe (Deuteronomy 5:12), as is written: תשמורו (Tishmoru), You are to observe (Leviticus 19:30), whereas the higher Sabbath is not included here in שמור (Shamor), Observe, but rather in זכור (Zakhor). That is why there is no strife above, because of the two peaces below: one, Jacob; the other, Joseph. So it is written twice: Peace, peace to the far and the near (Isaiah 57:19). To the far refers to Jacob, and the near refers to Joseph. To the far, as is said: From afar, God appeared to me (Jeremiah 31:2), His sister stood far off (Exodus 2:4). And the near, as is said: New [gods] who came from nearby (Deuteronomy 32:17). From afar is the highest point, standing in its place. So it is written: תשמורו (Tishmoru), You are to observe, included in שמור (Shamor), Observe. My sanctuary you are to hold in awe is the point standing in the center, which one should fear more than anything, for its punishment is death, as is written: מחלליה (Mehaleleha), Those who profane it, shall surely be put to death (Exodus 31:14). Who are מחלליה (mehaleleha), those who profane it? Whoever enters the חלל (halal), hollow, of the circle and the square — the site where the point rests — and damages it shall surely be put to death. So it is written: You are to hold in awe. Tht point is called I, and on it rests that high concealed one, unrevealed. This is God, and all is one.”
Rabbi El’azar and Rabbi Abba dismounted and kissed him. They said, “All this wisdom in your hand, and you are goading our donkeys behind us? Who are you?”
He replied, “Do not ask who I am! Rather, let us go together, engaging in Torah. Let each one speak words of wisdom to illumine the way.”
They said to him, “Who appointed you to go here, goading donkeys?”
He replied, “יוד (Yod) waged war with two letters, כף (kaf) and סמך (samech), to be bound together with me. כף did not want to depart and be bound, since it cannot survive for a moment anywhere else. סמך did not want to depart, so it could not support those who fall, for without סמך they cannot survive. Alone, יוד came to me, kissing and embracing me. She wept with me, saying, ‘My son, what can I do for you? But look, I will ascend and fill myself with goodness — with hidden, celestial, splendid letters! Then I will come to you, serving as your support. I will endow you with two letters, higher than those that departed, namely, יש (yesh), substance — celestial יוד and שין (shin) — as your treasuries filled with everything. So, my son, go and goad donkeys.’ That is why I go like this.”
Rabbi El’azar and Rabbi Abba rejoiced and wept. They said, “Go ride! We will goad the donkeys behind you.”
He said to them, “Didn’t I tell you it is the command of the King, until the one driving donkeys arrives?”
They said to him, “But you haven’t told us your name. The site you inhabit — what is it?”
He replied, “The site I inhabit is fine and lofty for me: a certain tower soaring in the air, grand and splendid. Those dwelling in this tower are the blessed Holy One and a certain poor person. This is where I reside, but I have gone into exile, goading donkeys.”
Rabbi Abba and Rabbi El’azar gazed at him. He had flavored his words for them as sweet as manna and honey.
They said to him, “If you tell us the name of your father, we will kiss the dust of your feet.”
He said, “Why? It is not my habit to boast of Torah. But my father’s dwelling was in the great ocean. He was a fish, circumnavigating the vast ocean from one end to the other. So grand and splendid, ancient of days, he would swallow all the other fish in the ocean, then spew them out alive thriving, filled with all goodness of the world. So strong, he could swim the ocean in one moment. He shot me out like an arrow from the hand of a mighty warrior, secreting me in that site I described. Then he returned to his site, disappearing into the ocean.”
Rabbi El’azar contemplated his words. He said, “You are the son of the Holy Lamp! You are the son of Rav Hamnua Sava, son of the radiance of Torah, and you are goading donkeys behind us?”
They both wept together, kissed him, and went on.
They said to him, “If it pleases our master, let him reveal his name to us.”
He opened, saying, “Benayahu son of Yehoyada (2 Samuel 23:20). This verse has been established — which is fine — but this verse alludes to supernal mysteries of Torah. Benayahu son of Yehoyada appears on behalf of a mystery of wisdom — a concealed word, and the name prevails. Son of a living man (2 Samuel 23:20) — צדיק (Tsadiq), Righteous One — Vitality of the Worlds. Master of deeds (2 Samuel 23:20) — Master of all action, of all celestial powers, for all emerge from Him. He is אדוני צבאות (Adonai Tseva’ot), Lord of Hosts, insigna of all His hosts. Distinguished and supreme, He is called Master of deeds.
“From Qavtse’et (2 Samuel 23:20) — this grand and dignified tree, supreme above all, from which site did it emerge? From which rung did it come? The verse goes on to say: From Qavtse’el — a high, concealed rung that no eye has seen… (Isaiah 64:3), a rung containing all, gathered in from upper light, and from which all emerges. It is the holy, hidden palace, in which all rungs are gathered and concealed. In the trunk of this tree all worlds exist; from it, all holy powers are nourished and deployed.
“He smote the two Ariel of Moab (2 Samuel 23:20). Two sanctuaries existed because of Him, were nourished by Him: First Temple and Second Temple. As soon as He departed, the flow flowing from above ceased. He, as it were, smote them, destroying and obliterating them, and the Holy Throne fell, as is written: And I was in the midst of the exile (Ezekiel 1:1) — that rung called I was in the midst of the exile. Why? By the River Kevar (Ezekiel 1:1), River of Already, on account of the river gushing and flowing, whose waters and springs ceased, so that it did not flow as before, as is written: A river dries up and is parched (Job 14:11). Dries up — in the First Temple; is parched — in the Second. So He smote the two Ariel of Moab. מואב (Mo’av), Moab — for they originated from מאב, from Father, in heaven and were destroyed and obliterated because of Him. All the lights illuminating Israel darkened.
“Further, He went down and slew the lion (2 Samuel 23:20). In former times, when this river gushed its waters below, [the people of] Israel were fulfilled, offering offerings and sacrifices to atone for their souls. Then from above would descend the image of a lion, whom they could see on the alter, crouching over its prey, consuming sacrifices like a fierce warrior, while all dogs hid themselves away, not venturing out.
“When sins prevailed, He descended to the rungs below, and He killed that lion, no longer willing to provide its prey. He, as it were, killed it. He slew the lion, really! Within the pit (2 Samuel 23:20) — in plain sight of the evil Other Side. Seeing this, the Other Side was emboldened to send a dog to eat the offerings. What is the name of that lion? אוריאל (Uri’el), for his face is the face of אריה (aryeh), a lion. What is the name of that dog? בלאדן (Bal’adan) is its name, for it is excluded from the category of אדם (adam), human, but is rather a dog — its face a dog. On a snowy day — a day when sins prevailed, and judgment was decreed above by the celestial court. Of this is written: She is not afraid of snow for her household (Proverbs 31:21) — Judgment on high. Why? Because her whole household is clothed in crimson (Proverbs 31:21) and can endure the fierce fire.
“Until here, mystery of the verse. What is written next? He slew an Egyptian, a man of good appearance (2 Samuel 23:21). Here the mystery of the verse discloses that whenever Israel sinned he departed, witholding from them all the goodness, all the light illumining Israel. Who is it? Moses, as is written: They said, ‘An Egyptian man rescued us’ (Exodus 2:19). There he was born, there he was raised, there he rose to the highest light. A man of מראה (mar’eh), good appearance, as is said: ומראה (umar’eh), in appearance, not in riddles (Numbers 12:8). Man, as is said: Man of Elohim (Deuteronomy 33:1) — husband, as it were, of that מראה (mar’eh), appearance, of the Presence of God, for he was worthy of conducting this rung on earth in any way he wished — something no other human attained.
“The Egyptian had a spear in his hand (2 Samuel 23:21). This is the staff of God, handed down to him, as is said: with the staff of God in my hand (Exodus 17:9). This is the staff created onthe eve of Sabbath at twilight, engraved with the holy name, a holy graving. With this he sinned at the rock, as is said: He struck the rock with his staff twice (Numbers 20:11). The blessed Holy One said to him, ‘Moses, I did not give you My staff for this. By your life! From now on, it will no longer be in your hand.’ Immediately He went down to him with a club (2 Samuel 23:21) — with severe judgment. And wrenched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, for from that moment it was withheld from him and was never again in his hand. And killed him with his own spear. Because of the sin of striking with that staff, he died and did not enter the Holy Land, and this light was withheld from Israel.
“From the thirty, he was most honored (2 Samuel 23:23). These are the thirty celestial years, on which He drew, conveying Them below. Drawing on Them, He drew near. But the three he did not attain. They approached Him, giving to Him wholeheartedly, but He did not approach Them. Still, although He was not counted as one of Them, David set him over his bodyguard, for He never faded from the tablet of His heart. They are never separated. David set Him close — not conversely — forwith the praises, songs, and love that the moon offers to the sun, She draws Him toward Her, so that He dwell with Her. This is: David set him over his bodyguard.”
Rabbi El’azar and Rabbi Abba fell before him. Meanwhile they did not see him. They rose, looking in every direction, but could not see him. They sat down and wept, and could not speak to each other. After a while Rabbi Abba said, “This is precisely what we learned: On whatever path the righteous walk, with words of Torah between them, virtuous ones of that world come to them. His was indeed Rav Hamuna Sava, coming to us from that world to reveal these words to us. Before we could recognize him, he vanished!”
They rose and tried to goad the donkeys, but they would not move. They tried to goad them, but they would not move. Frightened, they left the donkeys behind. Still today that spot is called Donkeys’ Site.