(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃ (ב) וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה׃ (ג) וַאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ד) וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ ה' וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ ל֑וֹט וְאַבְרָ֗ם בֶּן־חָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּצֵאת֖וֹ מֵחָרָֽן׃ (ה) וַיִּקַּ֣ח אַבְרָם֩ אֶת־שָׂרַ֨י אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ וְאֶת־ל֣וֹט בֶּן־אָחִ֗יו וְאֶת־כׇּל־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁוּ וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ בְחָרָ֑ן וַיֵּצְא֗וּ לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה כְּנָֽעַן׃
(22) When Serug had lived 30 years, he begot Nahor. (23) After the birth of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and begot sons and daughters. (24) When Nahor had lived 29 years, he begot Terah. (25) After the birth of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and begot sons and daughters. (26) When Terah had lived 70 years, he begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. (27) Now this is the line of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begot Lot. (28) Haran died in the lifetime of his father Terah, in his native land, Ur of the Chaldeans. (29) Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves, the name of Abram’s wife being Sarai and that of Nahor’s wife Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. (30) Now Sarai was barren, she had no child. (31) Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan; but when they had come as far as Haran, they settled there. (32) The days of Terah came to 205 years; and Terah died in Haran. (1) ה' said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
(2) I will make of you a great nation,
And I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
And you shall be a blessing.
(3) I will bless those who bless you
And curse the one who curses you;
And all the families of the earth
Shall bless themselves by you.” (4) Abram went forth as ה' had commanded him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (5) Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the wealth that they had amassed, and the persons that they had acquired in Haran; and they set out for the land of Canaan. And they arrived in the land of Canaan.
~ What is remarkable about Avram's arrival in the text?
~ Look at verse 11:31 closely. Who begins the journey?
~ 12:1 is the beginning of our parsha/portion. In terms of familial relationships, what does that verse, taken away from the previous context, seems to imply?
~ How many verses relating to God can you count on 12:1-3?
~ How many places/mindsets does Avram need to leave, at God's command?
~ Bereshit Rabbah - Multi-vocal, multi-generational work compiled between 300 and 500 CE with some later additions. It is a midrash comprising a collection of ancient rabbinical homiletical interpretations of the Book of Genesis.
Ad-nai said to Abram, "Go forth from your land…" (Genesis 12:1) What was written prior to this matter? “…and Teraḥ died in Ḥaran.” (Genesis 11:32) Rabbi Yitzḥak said: if the matter is the math, then up to now [where Avram leaves, for Teraḥ to be dead,] it would need another 65 years, but initially, you can interpret that evildoers are called “dead” during their lives. It is because Abraham our father was afraid and said, “If I go out, they will profane the Heavenly Name through me and say that he left his father and went during his [father’s] old age. The Holy One Blessed Be He said to him, I exempt you from honoring father and mother, but I do not exempt [any] other from honoring father and mother. And not only that, but I moved forward his death to before your going out: first, “And Teraḥ died in Ḥaran.”, and afterwards “And Ad-nai said to Avram”
~ How does the midrash explain the death of Terach?
~ How does this midrash highlight the question of honoring parents? What are consequences for other human beings regarding honoring parents?
~ R. Eliezer Melamed was born in 28 June 1961. He composed Peninei Halakha, a 20 volume work, between 2004 and 2008 CE. Peninei Halakha is widely used in the national-religious schools in Israel.
The first personal mitzvah given to the first Jewish person was the mitzvah of circumcision. However, according to all [other opinions] it was the mitzvah of going up to the land [of Israel], as it is said "Ad-nai said to Abram, 'Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you.'"However, the mitzvah of settling the land is a collective mitzvah, that encompasses all those living in the Jewish people in general, and the life of every Jewish individual in particular, but as a personal mitzvah the circumcision is the first mitzvah. There is a connection between the mitzvah of settling in the land and circumcision, since through those two mitzvot holiness reveals itself both in body and in physicality. Through settling in the land it becomes clear that there is value in every act of work that is connected to the building of the land, and through the brit milah it becomes clear that there is holy value to the body, therefore the orlah needs to be separated from it.
~ What is the balance the Peninei Halacha seeks to address in "lech lecha"?
~ Is one of the two mitzvot more important than the other?
And so we find that the sages said about Avraham our Father, who worried about getting out of Haran and abandon his father Terach on his old age, and God said to him "Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you" (Gen. 12:1), and [God] exempted him with this from the mitzvot related to honoring parents (Bereshit Rabbah 39:8). And so our sages said that Yaakov our Father was punished through his son Yosef abandoning him for 22 years, because he himself abandoned his parents and went to Haran for 22 years. And even though Yaakov was compelled to flee his brother, who wanted to kill him, and did this because his parents commanded him to; due to the fact that nevertheless he did not honor his parents during that many years, and also due to the fact that he did not return quickly when he was able to, he was punished. Despite all this, for the needs of studying Torah a person can leave their parents: we find that Yaakov our Father went to the house of study of Shem and Ever, and learned there for 14 years, and was not punished for that (see Megilah 17a).
~ What is the question the Peninei Halakha addresses in this piece?
~ What is the balance it seeks to make?
~ For each of the questions below, try to think of your own answer before discussing the answer given by R. Eliezer Melamed.
(א) כיבוד הורים / הורים רשעים
(ב) שאלה: האם מצוות כיבוד ומורא הורים חלה על אב רשע ובעל עברות, או שמא הואיל והאב השחית כל כך את מידותיו, נפטר הבן מהחיוב לכבדו?
(ג) תשובה: נחלקו בזה הפוסקים (שו"ע יו"ד רמ, יח). לדעת בעל ה'שולחן-ערוך', רבי יוסף קארו, אפילו היה אביו רשע ובעל עבירות חייב לכבדו ולירא ממנו. ולא עוד, אלא אפילו אם הבן ממזר, כלומר שאביו הוליד אותו באיסור של גילוי עריות, ופגם בכך את הבן וגרם לו שכל ימיו לא יוכל להתחתן עם ישראלית, אפילו במקרה כזה חובה על הבן לכבד את אביו הרשע, היינו לכבדו ולסייע לו בעת שיזדקק לעזרה.
(ד) לעומת זאת, לדעת רבי משה איסרליש (הרמ"א), בעל ההגהות על ה'שולחן-ערוך', אין מצווה על הבן לכבד את אביו הרשע, כי כל מה שציוותה התורה לכבד הורים, הוא דווקא בהורים רגילים שאינם רשעים, אבל את הרשעים לא ציוותה התורה לכבד. ויש להדגיש שאב רשע הוא דווקא אב שדבוק ברע ומרבה לחטוא, פוגע ביודעין באנשים אחרים או עושה עבירות להכעיס. אבל אדם רגיל, שלעיתים נכשל בעבירה, ברור שבנו מצוּוה לכבדו ולירא מפניו. וגם כשמוסכם על הכל שהאב רשע, ולדעת הרמ"א אין מצווה לכבדו ולירא מפניו, מכל מקום אסור לבן להעליב אותו או לגרום לו צער.
(ה) לעיתים בעלי תשובה טועים וחושבים שאינם צריכים לכבד את הוריהם הואיל והם חילונים. אבל ההלכה היא, שבזמננו, כל אדם שנוהג במנהגי דרך ארץ ומוסר כמקובל, למרות שאינו שומר מצוות, אינו נחשב רשע, וודאי שבנו חייב לכבדו ולירא מפניו. מפני שבזמן הזה רוב האנשים שאינם שומרי מצוות, אינם עושים זאת מתוך רצון רע להכעיס, אלא מפני המצב הכללי של הדור. ולכן בעל תשובה חייב לכבד את הוריו למרות שאינם שומרי מצוות.
(1) Honoring parents / Evil parents
(2) Question: Does the mitzvah of honoring parents apply to parents who are evil, who transgress constantly, or maybe there is the case of parents who destroyed their virtues so much that the children are exempt from honoring them?
(3) Answer: The halachic decisors have been divided in this question. (SA 240:18) According to the author of the Shulchan Aruch, Rabbi Yosef Karo, even if the parent is a transgressor the child is still obligated to honor and fear the parent. Not only that, even if the child is a mamzer, meaning, the parent conceived the child by transgressing the prohibition against adultery, and through this rendered the child defective, making it impossible for the child to ever marry a Jewish person, even in this case the child is obligated to honor their evil parent, meaning, to honor and support the parent in times of old age, when the parent needs help.
(4) On the other hand, according to Rabbi Moshe Isserles, (the Ram"a), who authored the glosses on the Shulchan Aruch, there is no mitzvah for a child to honor their evil parent, since all the mitzvot of the Torah regarding honoring parents apply to regular parents, who are not evil, but the Torah would not command someone to honor evil people. And one should make clear that the evil parent spoken of is a person who clings to evil actions and sins aplenty, hurts and insults intentionally other people, or transgresses just to cause others to anger. But regular people, who sometimes stumble and sin, it is clear that the mitzvah of honoring and fearing them applies. And even in the case where everyone sees and understands that the parent is evil, and according to the Ram"a there is no mitzvah of honoring and fearing such a person, it is forbidden for the child to insult the parent or cause any harm.
(5) Every so often those who return [ba'alei teshuvah] make the mistake to think that they do not owe their parents any honor, given that their parents are secular. However the halakha is, in our times, that every person that behaves properly and decently, even if they do not observe mitzvot, is not considered evil, and obviously the mitzvah of honoring and fearing them applies. And this is because in our times, most people who do not observe mitzvot don't do this out of spite, but due to the general atmosphere of the generation. Therefore, a ba'al teshuvah is obligated in honoring their parents, even though the parents are not observant.
~ Did anything in R. Eliezer Melamed's answer surprise you?
~ What are questions you still have about his answer?
(א) כיבוד הורים / הורים מתעללים
(ב) אמנם צריכים להבחין בין הורים שמפריזים בכעס וחינוכם קפדני יתר על המידה, אבל כוונתם הבסיסית היא חיובית, שאותם חייבים לכבד ולדון לכף זכות, לבין הורה שמתאכזר באופן סדיסטי כלפי ילדיו. התנהגות סדיסטית מסוכנת גופנית ונפשית, ולכן מוכרחים לעצור אותה. ואת הילד שסובל מהתעללות סדיסטית צריכים לחזק ולעודד, לומר לו שהמכות שספג אינן באשמתו. קל וחומר כאשר מדובר בגילוי עריות. וכמובן שצריך להציל ילדים אלו מהסכנות הנשקפות להם. (צריך להיזהר להבחין בין התנהגות מגונה ומכוערת לבין גילוי עריות, ויש ששוגים בזה ויוצרים בעיות קשות).
(ג) אמנם גם במציאות נוראה ומסובכת שכזו, צריך לנסות למצוא דרך לדון את ההורה הרשע לכף זכות, להסביר לילד שאף כי מעשיו של ההורה אסורים בתכלית, ובשום אופן אסור לחזור עליהם, מכל מקום כפי הנראה ההורה הרשע חולה במחלה קשה, גופנית או נפשית, ולכן חטא. ככל שהילד יבין יותר שההורה שהתעלל בו הוא חולה, כך יוכל יותר להפריד בין המעשים הנוראים שעשה, לאותם רגעי חסד שבהם התנהג כהורה רגיל. על אותם הרגעים יוכל להתרפק כל ימיו, הם יוכלו להיות היסוד החיובי שמכוחו יוכל לבנות את יחסיו הטובים עם הילדים שיהיו לו בעתיד.
(1) Honoring parents / Abusive parents
(2) There is the need, indeed, to distinguish between parents who are prone to loose their understanding and give in to anger, raising their children in an uncompromising rigid fashion, and yet whose basic intent is positive and between those who are cruel and behave in a sadistic form towards their children. To the first group, honoring and judging giving the benefit of doubt is due. However, sadistic behavior endangers body and soul, and therefore it is imperative to stop it. And we need to support and strengthen the child that suffers sadistic abuse, and make clear that this suffering has nothing to do with the child being guilty of anything. All the more so when we are speaking of sexual abuse. It is clear that we need to rescue such children from such expected dangers. (And it is important to be aware that there is also need to differentiate between disgusting and ugly behavior and sexual abuse, and there are those who err on this and create difficult problems.)
(3) Indeed, even in such a terrifying and complicated reality, one needs to find a way to give the evil parent the benefit of doubt, and explain to the child that the behaviors that the parent engages in are forbidden from the outset, and one should never ever repeat them, and yet that the parent seems to suffer from a condition or illness, whether physical or spiritual, and so the parent sinned. The more the child can understand that the parent that abused them is sick, the more the child will be able to make sense of the moments of kindness that the parent engaged as if the parent was a regular parent. The child will be able to remember fondly those moments, and they might form the basis of the child's strength for forming good and healthy bonds with their own future children.
~ What basic distinction does R. Melamed make in his answer?
~ Did anything in R. Eliezer Melamed's answer was new to you?
~ What are questions you still have about his answer to this particular question?
(א) כיבוד הורים / יחס ההורים לילדים ושלא להכות
(ב) אף שמצוות כיבוד הורים חשובה עד מאוד, כתב ב'שולחן-ערוך' (יו"ד רמ, יט): "אסור לאדם להכביד עולו על בניו ולדקדק בכבודו עמהם, שלא יביאם לידי מכשול, אלא ימחול ויעלים עיניו מהם, שהאב שמחל על כבודו – כבודו מחול".
(ג) אולי מצד הדין יכולים ההורים לתבוע מבניהם שיכבדו אותם יותר, אבל זה לא יעזור. שום תועלת לא תצמח מכך שההורים יתלוננו תמיד על ילדיהם שלא מכבדים אותם מספיק. להפך, ילדים אוהבים לכבד את ההורים מרצון ואהבה, לא בכפייה. ההתחשבות ברצונם ובכבודם של הילדים, רק תתרום לכך שהילדים יכבדו יותר את הוריהם.
(ד) יתר על כן, אב שמחל על כבודו, כבודו מחול. כלומר, במקרה שהורים מוותרים לבן שלא ישתדל בכיבודם כל כך, הבן פטור. כמובן שגם כשההורים מוותרים, אם הבן מכבדם הוא מקיים מצווה, אבל אם לא יכבד – לא תהיה בידו עבירה. וכי ההורים רוצים שבנם ייענש בעוון ביטול מצוות כיבוד הורים?!
(ה) הדרך המוצלחת ביותר לחינוך הילדים לכבד את הוריהם, כשיראו מהם דוגמה אישית, כיצד הם עצמם מכבדים את הוריהם. ומי שהתרשל בזה כשהוריו היו בחיים, אל יתפלא שילדיו אינם מכבדים אותו, וכשהוא זקוק לעזרה – ילדיו אינם עוזרים לו, הם למדו זאת ממנו.
(ו) בעבר, במקרה שהאב היה מכה את בנו הגדול, אפילו אם היה צדק מסוים במעשיו, בית הדין היה מעניש את האב ומנדה אותו, מפני שהוא עבר בזה על האיסור (ויקרא יט, יד): "וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשֹׁל", שוודאי בנו יתרעם עליו וינטור לו בלבו, ואולי אף יחזיר לו מנה אפיים (שו"ע יו"ד רמ, כ; עי' לעיל הלכה ג, ובהלכה הבאה, בחומרת איסור המכה אביו).
(ז) למרות שבעבר הורים טובים היו מחנכים את ילדיהם גם בעזרת מכות, ואף נאמר (משלי יג, כד): "חוֹשֵׂךְ שִׁבְטוֹ שׂוֹנֵא בְנוֹ", ואמרו חכמים (שמו"ר א, א): "כל המונע בנו מן המרדות סוף בא לתרבות רעה ושונאהו". כיום יש למעט בענישה גופנית.
(1) Honoring Parents /Attitudes of parents towards children, no hitting
(2) Even though the mitzvah of honoring parents is very important, the Shulchan Aruch wrote (Yoreh De'ah 240:19): "It is forbidden [for the parent] to make their yoke heavy upon their children and to be exacting with them about their honor, so as not create a hindrance for the children. Rather the parent should forgive and avert their eyes from them; since a parent who foregoes their honor, their honor is forgiven."
(3) Maybe from the side of judgment the parents could demand more honor from their children, but this will not help. No positive result comes from this, parents that always complain that their children do not honor them enough. On the contrary, children love to honor their parents willingly from love, and not from being forced. Thoughtfulness towards children's honor and needs is what contributes for children honoring their parents in great measure.
(4) Aside from that, a parent who forgoes their honor has their honor forgiven. That is to say, in the instance that parents concede that the child shouldn't devote themselves to the honor of the parents, the child is exempt. It is understood that when the parents concede, if the child honors them the child fulfills the mitzvah, but if the child does not, the child has not transgressed. And are there parents who would want their children to be punished because of the sin of not honoring the parents?!
(5) The most successful way to educate children to honor their parents is when they see a personal example, how do the parents honor their own parents. And someone who is negligent with their parents while they are still alive should not be surprised when their own children do not honor them; and when they need help, that the children do not help them - they learned this from the parents.
(6) In the past, in the case of a parent who hit their grown children, even if the parent's actions were completely righteous, the beit din would punish and ostracize the parent, since the parent transgressed the prohibition of "do not put a stumbling block in front of the blind" (Leviticus 19:14), since obviously the child will be angry and bear a grudge, and even return a double portion (see Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah 240:20, see above 1:3 and 1:16 regarding the seriousness of not hitting parents).
(7) Even though in the past good parents would educate their children also with physical punishments, and even though it is written "He who spares the rod hates his son" (Proverbs 13:24), and even though the sages said "one who holds back from hitting their children, at the end [the children] will go to a bad culture and the parent will hate them" (Shemot Rabbah 1:1) nowadays one should be sparing in physical punishment.
~ There is no mitzvah of taking care, protecting, loving or supporting your child in the Torah. How does R. Melamed's answer deal with that fact?
~ What is the "hindrance" R. Melamed talks about?
(א) כיבוד הורים / מי שנטרפה דעת הוריו
(ב) אחת השאלות העצובות ביחס לכיבוד הורים היא, מה יעשה אדם שדעת הוריו נשתבשה עליהם, כיצד ינהג עימם?
(ג) תשובה: אף על פי שנטרפה דעתם, לא יבזה אותם, וישתדל לנהוג עמם באהבה ובכבוד כפי דעתם, עד שירוחם עליהם מן השמיים. ואם השתגעו הרבה, עד שאינו מסוגל יותר לראותם במצב כזה, ובכל עת שהוא נפגש עמהם הוא מגיע לכעס ומריבה. אם ההורים יכולים להסתדר לבד, עדיף שיניחם ויעבור למקום אחר, ויבקש מאחרים לנהוג בהם כראוי.
(ד) דוגמה לכך מובאת בתלמוד (קידושין לא, ב). לרבי אסי היתה אמא זקנה שדעתה השתבשה. ביקשה ממנו שיקנה לה תכשיטים, וקנה. לאחר מכן רצתה להתחתן, ובכל עת היתה מפצירה בו שידאג לה לשידוך. אך הואיל ולא ניתן היה למצוא חתן לאשה זקנה עם דעה משובשת כשלה, היה רבי אסי עונה לה תמיד שהוא ישתדל לעיין בדבר. אולם כשאמו החלה לתבוע ממנו שימצא לה חתן שהוא בדיוק כמותו, צעיר, מוכשר ויפה, לא יכול היה רבי אסי לעמוד בכך, ועזב את מקומה.
(ה) וכל זה כמובן בתנאי שההורים יכולים לדאוג לעצמם. כלומר מסוגלים לדאוג לעצמם למזון ובגדים וכל מה שהכרחי לקיומם, רק שדעתם משובשת, ובכל פעם שרואים את הבן, תובעים ממנו דברים משונים שדעת הבן אינה סובלתם. אבל אם ההורים נחלשו כל כך, בדעתם או בגופם, עד שאינם יכולים להתקיים בכוחות עצמם, אסור לבן לעוזבם. אלא אם מצבו הכספי מאפשר, ישכור למענם אדם אחר שיטפל בהם, או שיסדר להם מקום במוסד סיעודי. אך אם אין מוסד שיכול לקבלם, וגם אין לו אמצעים כספיים כדי לשכור להם מטפל, עליו לטפל בהוריו, תוך השתדלות מירבית לנהוג עמהם בנועם ובנחת (שו"ע יו"ד רמ, י. ט"ז יד, ערוה"ש לב).
(1) Honoring Parents / Regarding one whose parents have dementia
(2) One of the saddest questions regarding honoring parents is what should one behave towards parents whose awareness has been taken from them?
(3) Answer: Even if the parents do not have awareness anymore, one should never disgrace them,and one should always try to behave towards them with honor and love according to their ability, until heavens have pity on them. And if the parents loose their minds completely to the point that the child cannot see them in that state, and whenever they see each other the child gets to a state of anger and fighting, if it is possible for the parent to be left in another place and be taken care properly by others, this is preferable.
(4) An example is brought in the Talmud (Kiddushin 31b): Rabbi Asi had an old mother who became senile. She asked for jewellery, and he bought it for her. After some time she wanted to marry, and entreated him that he should find a match for her. And even though he could not find a groom for such elderly and senile woman, Rabbi Asi would always answer that he would make an effort to find one. However, when she began demanding that he should find a groom that was exactly like him, young, kasher and handsome, Rabbi Asi could not stand to see her like this, and left the place where she lived.
(5) And this is provided that the parents can take care of themselves. Meaning, they can feed and clothe themselves, and do all their needs to proper exist, and only their awareness is diminished, and whenever they see their child they make strange requests and the child can't stand seeing them like this. However, when parents are so weakened, whether in body or in mind, that they cannot take care of themselves, it is forbidden to abandon them. Rather, if the child has money enough, the child should pay another person to take care of the parents, or make arrangements in for a nursing home. And if a nursing home won't take them, and if the child has no financial ability to pay a caregiver, the child should give care to their parents, and through maximal efforts to behave towards them with patience and pleasantness. (Shulchan Aruch Yoreh De'ah 240:10; Taz on the Shulchan Aruch 240:14; Aruch HaShulchan, Yoreh De'ah 240:32).
~ What is the balance R. Melamed tried to achieve?
~ Did anything in R. Eliezer Melamed's answer surprise you?
~ What are questions you still have about his answer?
All souls of the world come forth from Him. These souls enter the Garden and descend into this world. When a soul leaves, it receives seven blessings so that it may be a father to the body as [the body] is elevated to the Supernal Image. Thus, it is written, "Now Hashem said to Abram" (Gen. 12:1). This is the divine supernal soul, the father of the body [made] in the divine image.
~ What is the function of the soul, in this text?
~ How does the Zohar rereads the story of Avram? What is Avram a symbol for?
When the soul is ready to descend to this world, the Holy One of Blessing makes it swear to perform the precepts of Torah and do God's bidding. And God gives each soul one hundred keys of blessings for each and every day, so that it may complete the supernal levels, which reach the numerical value of Lech Lecha (lit. 'Get you out') (equaling 100).
All of them are given to it so that it may cultivate the Garden, to till it and to keep it. "Your country" is the Garden of Eden. The verse, "and from your kindred" (means) from the body, that is called 'the Tree of Life'.
And it includes the twelve supernal tribes, which are the secret of the twelve borders.
The verse "and from your father's house" refers to the Shechinah. "Your father" means the Holy One of Blessing. As it is written, "One who steals from one's father or one's mother, and says it is no transgression..." (Mishlei 28:24). "One's father" is none other than the Holy One of Blessing and "one's mother" is none other than the Congregation of Israel. The words, "to the land that I will show you," refer to this world, to which the soul is sent. (End of Sitrei Torah).
~ What is the quest of the soul?
~ What are the tools that the Holy One gives each and every soul?
~ In terms of the community of the people Israel, what does this text say about transgressions?
~ How does what we do affect the Garden?
(ב) דַּיְינוּ דִּינֵיהּ, וְנַפְקוּ כָּל בְּנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא. וַאֲנָא שָׁאִילְנָא רְשׁוּ, דְּהָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּיוֹחָאי, שָׁאִיל שְׁאֶלְתָּא דָּא. וְעַל דָּא אַחְזִיוּ לִי, מַה דְּלָא יְדַעְנָא מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָא. אִי רִבִּי, שִׁית הֵיכָלִין אַחְזִיוּ לִי, בְּכַמָּה עִנּוּגִין וְעִדּוּנִין, בַּאֲתָר דְּפָרוֹכְתָּא פְּרִישָׁא בְּגִנְתָּא. דְּהָא מֵהַהוּא פָּרוֹכְתָּא וּלְהָלְאָה, לָא עָאלִין דְּכוּרִין כְּלַל.
(ג) בְּהֵיכָלָא חֲדָא, אִית בַּתְיָה בַּת פַּרְעֹה, וְכַמָּה רִבּוֹא וְאַלְפֵי נָשִׁין, זַכְיָין בַּהֲדָהּ, וְכָל חֲדָא וַחֲדָא מִנַּיְיהוּ, דּוּכְתִּין דִּנְהוֹרִין וְעִדּוּנִין, בְּלָא דֹּחֲקָא כְּלָל אִית לָהּ. תְּלַת זִמְנִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא, כָּרוֹזֵי אַכְרִיזוּ, הָא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּמֹשֶׁה נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא אָתֵי, וּבַתְיָה נַפְקַת, לַאֲתָר דְּפַרְגּוֹדָא חֲדָא דְּאִית לָהּ, וְחָמָאת דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּמֹשֶׁה, וְסָגִידַת לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאָמְרָה, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי דְּרָבִיתִי נְהִירוּ דָּא. וְדָא אִיהוּ עִנּוּגִין דִּילָהּ, יַתִּיר מְכֻּלְּהוּ.
(ד) אַהֲדְרַת לְגַבֵּי נָשִׁין, וְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָן בְּפִקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא. כֻּלְּהוּ בְּאִינּוּן דִּיוּקְנִין דַּהֲווֹ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, בִּלְבוּשָׁא דִּנְהוֹרָא, (ס''א כלבושא) בִּלְבוּשָׁא דִּדְכוּרִין, בַּר דְּלָא נַהֲרֵי הָכִי, פִּקוּדִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא דְּלָא זָכוּ לְקַיְּימָא לוֹן בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, מִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּהוּ, וּבְטַעְמַיְיהוּ, בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. וְכָל הָנֵי נָשִׁין, דְּיַתְבִין בַּהֲדֵי בַּתְיָה בַּת פַּרְעֹה, אִקְרוּן נָשִׁים שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת, דְּלָא אִצְטַעְרוּ בְּצַעֲרָא דְּגֵיהִנָּם כְּלַל.
(ה) בְּהֵיכָלָא אַחֲרָא, אִית סֶרַח בַּת אָשֵׁר, וְכַמָה נָשִׁין רִבּוֹא וְאַלְפִין בַּהֲדָהּ. תְּלַת זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא מַכְרִיזִין קַמֵּה, הָא דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּיוֹסֵף צַדִּיקָא אָתָא, וְאִיהִי חַדָּאת, וְנַפְקַת לְגַבֵּי פַּרְגּוֹדָא חֲדָא דְּאִית לָהּ, וְחָמָאת נְהִירוּ דְּדִיּוּקְנָא דְּיוֹסֵף, וְחַדָּאת, וְסָגִידַת לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאָמָרְת, זַכָּאָה הַאי יוֹמָא, דְּאִתְּעָרִית בְּשׂוֹרָה דִּילָךְ לְגַבֵּי סָבָאי. לְבָתַר אַהֲדְרַת לְגַבֵּי שְׁאַר נָשִׁין, וּמִשְׁתַּדְּלִין בְּתוּשְׁבְּחָן דְּמָארֵי עָלְמָא, וּלְאוֹדָאָה שְׁמֵיהּ. וְכַמָּה דּוּכְתִּין וְחֵידוּ, אִית לְכָל חֲדָא וַחֲדָא. וּלְבָתַר אֲהְדְרָן לְאִשְׁתַּדְּלָא בְּפִקּוּדֵי אוֹרַיְיתָא, וּבְטַעְמַיְיהוּ.
(ו) בְּהֵיכָלָא אַחֲרָא, אִית יוֹכֶבֶד, אִמֵּיהּ דְּמֹשֶׁה נְבִיאָה מְהֵימָנָא, וְכַמָּה אַלְפִין וְרִבְּבָן בַּהֲדָהּ. בְּהֵיכָלָא דָּא, לָא מַכְרְזֵי כְּלַל, אֶלָּא ג' זִמְנִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, אוֹדֵת וּמְשַׁבָּחַת לְמָארֵי עָלְמָא, אִיהִי וְכָל אִינּוּן נָשִׁין דִּי בַּהֲדָהּ. וְשִׁירָתָא דְּיַמָּא מְזַמְּרִין בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וְאִיהִי בִּלְחוֹדָהָא אַמְרַת מֵהָכָא, (שמות ט״ו:כ׳) וַתִּקַּח מִרְיָם הַנְּבִיאָה וְגוֹ', אֶת הַתּוֹף בְּיָדָהּ וְגוֹ'. וְכָל אִינּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא דִּי בְגַן עֵדֶן, צַיְיתִין לַקָל נְעִימוּ דִּילָהּ. וְכַמָּה מַלְאֲכִין קַדִּישִׁין אוֹדָאן וּמְשַׁבְּחָן עִמָּהּ לִשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא.
(ז) בְּהֵיכָלָא אַחֲרָא, אִית דְּבוֹרָה, אוּף הָכִי וְכָל שְׁאַר נָשִׁין בַּהֲדָהּ, אוֹדָן וּמְזַמְּרָן בְּהַהִיא שִׁירָתָא דְּאִיהִי אַמְרַת בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. אִי רִבִּי, אִי רִבִּי, מַאן חָמֵי חֶדְוָה דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, וּדְנָשִׁין זַכְיָין דְּעַבְדִּין לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. לְגוֹ לְגוֹ דְּאִינּוּן הֵיכָלִין, אִית אַרְבַּע הֵיכָלִין טְמִירִין, דְּאִמָּהָן קַדִּישִׁין דְּלָא אִתְמַסְרָן לְאִתְגַּלָּאָה, וְלֵית מַאן דְּחָמֵי לוֹן. בְּכוּלֵיהּ יוֹמָא אִינּוּן בִּלְחוֹדֵיהוֹן, כְּמָה דַּאֲמֵינָא לְךָ, וְגוּבְרִין אוּף הָכִי.
(ח) וּבְכָל לֵילְיָא אִתְכְּלִילָן כֻּלְּהוּ כַּחֲדָא, בְּגִין דְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּזִוּוּגָא אִיהוּ בְּפַלְגוּת לֵילְיָא, בֵּין בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, בֵּין בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא. זִוּוּגָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, אִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דְּנִשְׁמְתָא בְּנִשְׁמְתָא נְהוֹרָא בִּנְהוֹרָא. זִוּוּגָא דְּהַאי עָלְמָא, גּוּפָא בְּגוּפָא. וְכֹלָּא כְּמָה דְּאִתְחֲזֵי, זִינָא בָּתַר זִינֵיהּ, זִוּוּגָא בָּתַר זִוּוּגָא, גּוּפָא בָּתַר גּוּפָא, זִוּוּגָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, נְהוֹרָא בָּתַר נְהוֹרָא. הֵיכָלִין דְּאַרְבַּע אִמָּהָן, אִקְרוּן הֵיכָלִין דְּבָנוֹת בּוֹטְחוֹת. וְלָא זָכֵינָא בְּהוּ לְמֵחמֵי. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, גּוּבְרִין וְנוּקְבֵי דְּאַזְלֵי בְּאֹרַח מֵישָׁר בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, וְזַכָּאִין לְכֻלְּהוּ עִנּוּגִין דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא.
(ט) אִי רִבִּי, אִי רִבִּי, אִלְמָלֵא בַּר יוֹחָאי אַנְתְּ, לָא אִתְמְסַר לְגַלָּאָה. זִוּוּגָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, אִתְעָבִיד אִיבָּא
(א) יַתִּיר, מֵאִיבָא דְּאִתְעָבִיד בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. בְּזִוּוּגָא דִּלְהוֹן, בְּזִוּוּגָא דְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, בְּתִיאוּבְתָּא דִּלְהוֹן כַּחֲדָא, כַּד מִתְדַּבְּקָן נִשְׁמָתִין דָּא עִם דָּא, עַבְדֵי אֵיבִין, וְנַפְקֵי נְהוֹרִין מִנַּיְיהוּ, וְאִתְעַבְדֵי שְׁרָגִּין. וְאִינּוּן נִשְׁמָתִין, לַגִּיּוֹרִין דְּמִתְגַּיְירִין, וְכָל הָנֵי עַיְילִין לְהֵיכָלָא חֲדָא.
(ב) וְכַד מִתְגַּיְירָא גִּיּוֹרָא חֲדָא, פַּרְחָא מֵהַהוּא הֵיכָלָא נִשְׁמְתָא, וְעָאלַת תְּחוֹת גַּדְפָהָא דִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְנַשְׁקַת לָּהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ אִיבָּא דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, וּמְשַׁדְרַת לָהּ לְגוֹ הַהוּא גִּיּוֹרָא, וְשָׁרַאת בֵּיהּ. וּמֵהַהוּא זִמְנָא, אִקְרֵי גֵּר צֶדֶק. וְהַיְינוּ רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב, (משלי י״א:ל׳) פְּרִי צַדִּיק עֵץ חַיִּים. מַה אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי אַפִּיק נִשְׁמָתִין, אוּף הָכִי צַדִּיק, אִיבָּא דִּילֵיהּ עָבִיד נִשְׁמָתִין.
(ג) רַב מְתִיבְתָּא אָמַר, כְּתִיב (בראשית י״א:ל׳) וַתְּהִי שָׂרַי עֲקָרָה אֵין לָהּ וָלָד. מִמַּאי דְּאָמַר וַתְּהִי שָׂרַי עֲקָרָה, לֵית אֲנָא יוֹדֵעַ דְּלֵית לָהּ וָלָד, מַאי אֵין לָהּ וָלָד. אֶלָּא הָכִי אָמַר רַב מְתִיבְתָּא, וָלָד לָא הֲוַת מוֹלִדָא, אֲבָל נִשְׁמָתִין הֲוַת מוֹלִדָא בְּאִתְדַּבְּקוּתָא דְּתִיאוּבְתָא, דְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵין זַכָּאִין הֲווֹ מוֹלִידֵי נִשְׁמָתִין לְגִיּוֹרֵי כָּל הַהוּא זִמְנָא דַּהֲווֹ בְחָרָן. כְּמָה דְּעַבְדִּין צַדִּיקַיָּיא בְּגַן עֵדֶן. כְּמָה דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית י״ב:ה׳) וְאֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן, נֶפֶשׁ עָשׂוּ וַדַּאי.
(2) They issued the ruling, and all the [other] students of the Yeshiva left. I requested permission, since [Shimon] Bar Yochai had asked the same question, and I was therefore shown what I had not known before: Oh, my teacher -- there were six chambers shown to me, with so many delights and pleasures - up to the place where the curtain-divider is extended in the Garden [of Eden]. These were from that curtain-divider and beyond, where no males at all may go up.
(3) In one chamber, Batya, Pharaoh's daughter, comes, and so many thousands and thousands of women who merit to be with her. Every single one of them deserves the supernal lights and pleasures [of that place], nothing at all is withheld from any of them. Three times each day, the announcement is made: The likeness of Moshe, the faithful prophet, is coming! And Batya goes out, to that curtained area which is dedicated to her, and observes the likeness of Moshe, and bows before it, saying, "Happy is my portion, that I raised such a light!" This is her delight, above all others.
(4) Batya returns to the women, and they delve into precepts of Torah. All of them have the likenesses they had in this world, and were clothed in light, just as the clothing of the men, except not quite as much light. The precepts of Torah that they did not merit to fulfill in this world, they [now] delve into, along with their meanings, in that world. And all these women that dwell together with Batya, Pharaoh's daughter, are called serene women, because they are not troubled by the pains of Gehenna at all.
(5) In another chamber, Serach bat Asher comes, and so many thousands and thousands of women who merit to be with her. Three times a day, the announcement comes: The likeness of Yosef the tzadik is coming! With joy she goes out, to that curtained area which is dedicated to her, and observes light with the likeness of Yosef. With joy she bows before it, saying, "Happy was that day, when I gave the tidings before my grandfather [that you were still alive]!" Then she returns to the rest of the women, and they delve into the praises of the Ruler of the world, and praise the Name. How many places and joys, that each and everyone of them had! Then they return and delve into the precepts of Torah, along with their meanings.
(6) In another chamber, Yocheved comes, the mother of Moshe the faithful prophet, and so many thousands and thousands of women with her. In this chamber, there is no announcement at all, but three times each day, she acknowledges and praises the Ruler of the world, she and all the women with her. They sing the Song of the Sea every day, and she herself recites from "And Miriam the Prophet...took her timbrel in her hand..." (Shmot 15:20). And all these righteous women there in Gan Eden listen to her pleasant voice, and so many holy angels acknowledge and praise the holy Name with her.
(7) In another chamber, Devora comes, and here too, all the other women with her acknowledge and sing [praises], with that very song that she sang in this world (Shoftim 5:1). Oh, my teacher! Oh, my teacher, who has seen the happiness and delight of these righteous ones, of the women who merit to serve the Holy One of Blessing?! Deeper in from these chambers, are four hidden chambers of the holy mothers, which are not passed on or revealed, and no one has seen them. All day they are separate among themselves, as I have told you; and the men also [are separate].
(8) Every night they come together, all of them as one, at the time of coupling, which is midnight, both in this world and in that world. Coupling in that world is the cleaving of soul with soul, light with light. Coupling in this world is body with body. Everything is as it should be: like after like, couple after couple, body after body. Coupling in that world, light after light. The chambers of the four mothers are called the chambers of the confident daughters, which I did not merit to see. Happy is the portion of these righteous ones, males and females, that go down the straight path in this world, and are entitled to all the delights of that world.
(9) Oh, my teacher! Oh, my teacher, if you were not [Shimon] Bar Yochai, I would not have passed it along to be revealed. The coupling of that world brings more fruit
(1) than the fruit brought in this world. Their coupling, the coupling of that world, their desire is as one. When their souls cleave one to another, it creates fruit. Lights go out from them, creating candles. These are the souls for the [future] converts that will convert, and all of them enter this particular chamber.
(2) For the conversion of a particular convert, the soul flies out from that chamber, and enters under the wings of the Shechina. And She kisses it, since it is the fruit of the righteous ones, and sends it into that convert, and it steeps within. From that moment, they are called a "Ger Tzedek" (righteous convert). This is what the verse alludes to (Mishlei 11:30), "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life." Just as the tree of life produces souls, so too the righteous person can produce fruit, by making souls.
(3) The Rav of the Yeshiva said, it is written (Breishit 11:30), "Now Sarai was barren; she had no child." When it tells us that Sarai was barren, I already know that she had no child. So why [does the verse add], "she had no child"? Rather, here is what the Rav of the Yeshiva said: She had no child born to her, but souls she had born to her, by means of the cleaving with desire. These two righteous ones [Sarai and Avram] birthed souls for converts all the time that they were at Haran, just as the righteous make [souls for converts] in Gan Eden. As it says (Breishit 12:5), "the people [literally 'the soul'] that they acquired [literally 'made'] in Haran" -- they really did create that soul!
~ Why those four women are chosen to be seen as the inner chambers? What do they all have in common? Who are the four that are never seen?
~ How does the description of women studying in Gan Eden impacts your vision of the world to come?
~ What is the idea of singing the Song at the Sea every day? Where in our service we do that? How knowing this text changes your view of that practice?
~ How are the souls of converts conceived? What happens when they finish that process, and are called "ger tzedek"?
~ What does it mean to "produce fruit", in this context? How does the text understand the creation of souls by Avraham and Sarah?
(יג) כְּתִיב (איוב כ״ה:ב׳) הַמְשֵׁל וָפַחַד עִמּוֹ עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הַאי קְרָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא. אֲבָל הַמְשֵׁל, דָּא
(א) אַבְרָהָם, דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ (בראשית כ״ג:ו׳) נְשִׂיא אֱלקִים אַתָּה בְּתוֹכֵנוּ, וּכְתִיב (בראשית י״ב:ב׳) וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ. וָפַחַד, דָּא יִצְחָק. דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית ל״א:מ״ב) וּפַחַד יִצְחָק הָיָה לִי. (איוב כ״ה:ב׳) עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, דָּא יַעֲקֹב. דִּכְתִּיב, (מיכה ז׳:כ׳) תִּתֵּן אֱמֶת לְיַעֲקֹב, וּכְתִיב (זכריה ח׳:י״ט) וְהָאֱמֶת וְהַשָׁלוֹם אֱהָבוּ. דֶּאֱמֶת וְשָׁלוֹם קָשִׁיר דָּא בְּדָא. וְעַל דָּא הוּא שְׁלֵימוּתָא דְּכֹלָּא.
It is written "Dominion and dread are His; He makes peace in His heights" (Job 25:2) - this verse was raised by the group of friends. But "dominion" is Avraham, as it is written about him "you are the elect of E-lohim among us" (Genesis 23:6) and also "I will bless you and I will make your name great" (Genesis 12:2). "Dread" is Itzchak, as it is written "the dread of Itzchak was with me" (Genesis 31:42). "Makes peace in His heights" - this is Yaakov, as it is written "You gave truth to Yaakov" (Micah 7:20) and also "love truth and peace" (Zecharia 8:19) - truth and peace are tied to one another. And so he is the most complete of all.
~ 'Oseh shalom bimromav' - from where do you recognize this quote?
~ How are Avraham and Yitzchak portrayed, and how is Yaakov?
~ What do you make of the idea of Yaakov representing truth and peace?
~ How do you understand the idea that truth and peace are tied to one another?
(ב) וּשְׁלָמִים שְׁלֵימוּתָא הוּא, וּשְׁלָמָא דְּכֹלָּא. וּמַאן דְּאַקְרִיב שְׁלָמִים אַסְגֵּי שְׁלָמָא בְּעָלְמָא. יַעֲקֹב אִיהוּ עָבִיד שָׁלוֹם, כְּמָה דְּאַמָרָן. בְּגִין דְּאָחִיד לְהַאי וּלְהַאי. וּשְׁלָמִים אֲחִידָן בְּמִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה, וּבְמִצְוֹת לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה, בְּהַאי סִטְרָא, וּבְהַאי סִטְרָא. וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי שְׁלָמִים. וְרָזָא דְּמִלָּה, דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית כ״ה:כ״ז) וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם: גְּבַר שְׁלִים. שְׁלִים לְעֵילָּא, וּשְׁלִים לְתַתָּא. דָּבָר אַחֵר (איוב כ״ה:ב׳) הַמְשֵׁל דָּא מִיכָאֵל. וָפַחַד דָּא גַּבְרִיאֵל. דָּא יְסוֹדָא דִּילֵיהּ מִמַּיָּא וְדָא יְסוֹדָא דִּילֵיהּ מֵאֶשָּׁא וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָבִיד שְׁלָמָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ דִּכְתִּיב, (איוב כה) עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו.
(2) And the Shelamim sacrifice is completeness, and peace for all. And a person that offers a shelamim spreads peace in the world. Yaakov is the one who makes peace, as we said, since he is the one for this [side] and this [side]. And the shelamim unifies the positive mitzvot and negative mitzvot, from this side and from this side. And because of this it is called shelamim [completeness]. And the secret of the word is that it is written 'And Yaakov was a TAM person' (Genesis 25:27): a complete person. Complete above and complete below. Another explanation [for Job 25:2]: "dominion" this is Michael. "Dread" this is Gavriel. This [angel, Michael] has its basis of water, this [angel, Gavriel] has the basis of fire. And the Holy One of Blessing makes peace between them, as it is written "He makes peace on His heights / among the high ones" (Job 25:2).
~ What is the inner meaning of "oseh shalom bimromav"?
~ How does TAM work here? Complete, or self-contained?
~ Why is God the One making peace among Gavriel and Michael? How does that impact our understanding of being Jewish, given what the text says about Yaakov?
~ How does making peace in a family pass through truth and acceptance, going back to R. Melamed's teachings?