871. A Scorpion and a Snake

“The pit is empty; there is no water in it,” meaning there is no Torah in it. But there are snakes and scorpions in it, meaning that if (there is no) Torah in it, there are immediately snakes and scorpions in it.

Akrab [scorpion] is called Kar-Av [cold-thick] where the coldness comes to him because of Aviut [thickness]. It has no eyes, meaning the quality of Hochma [wisdom]. This means that it does not argue with the intellect, but simply with Aviut. A “snake” is regarded as the mind, which argues with the intellect, as it is written in the Jerusalem [Talmud], “And the snake was cunning” and argued with Eve. It started and said, “Although God said,” etc. This is why everyone agrees that a scorpion determines, but not a snake.