Noah and the Ark 1) Happy are Israel who engage in Torah and know the ways of Torah, for which they will be rewarded with the next world. 2) All of Israel have a portion in the next world because they keep the covenant on which the world stands, as …
Go See the Works
Go See the Works 15) It is written, “Go see the works of the Lord, who has wrought desolations in the earth.” The prophecy appears to people through the deeds that the Creator does. When the prophecy appears after preceding harsh deeds, it is called a “harsh image” or vision. …
Good Is a Man Who Is Gracious and Lends
Good Is a Man Who Is Gracious and Lends 18) “Good is a man who is gracious and lends; he will consider his words in judgment.” “Good is a man” is the Creator, who is called “good,” as it is written, “The Lord is good to all.” It is also …
Drink Water from Your Cistern
Drink Water from Your Cistern 22) “Drink water from your cistern and liquids from your well.” A cistern is an empty place from which water does not flow. A well is water that is flowing out. However, everything—well and cistern—is all one place, the Nukva, the place to which the …
And the Earth Became Corrupt
And the Earth Became Corrupt 28) “And the earth became corrupt before God.” Why is it written, “Before God,” which is obvious? Because they committed their sins openly, it is written, “Before God.” 29) “And the earth became corrupt before God.” Initially, it was before God; they did not sin …
Had He Not Sinned, He Would Not Have Begotten Offspring
Had He Not Sinned, He Would Not Have Begotten Offspring 35) Had Adam brought offspring from the Garden of Eden, they would not perish for many generations, and the light of the moon, the light of Malchut, would never have darkened. Everyone would be living forever, and even the upper …
And God Saw the Earth
And God Saw the Earth 39) “And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt.” Why was the earth corrupt? Is the earth punishable? But it is written, “for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.” When people are righteous and keep the commandments of the Torah, …
The Lord Has Done What He Devised
The Lord Has Done What He Devised 46) “The Lord has done what He devised; He has performed His word that He commanded in the days of old.” 47) “He has performed His word” means He tore His garment of glory, called a “garment of kingship.” “That He commanded in …
For After Seven More Days
For After Seven More Days 55) “For after seven more days, I will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights,” forty days with which to strike the wicked of the world, as it is written, “He will strike him forty,” not more, opposite the four directions of …
And Noah Begot Three Sons
And Noah Begot Three Sons 61) “And Noah begot three sons.” There is an allegory about a man who impregnated a female once, but two or three sons came out, each different from the other in both ways and actions: one was righteous, one was wicked, and one was in-between. …
The Judgment of Hell
The Judgment of Hell 69) In Hell there are sections over sections—second, third, and up to seven. Happy are the righteous who keep themselves from the sins of the wicked and do not follow them or become defiled by them. When one who is defiled passes away, he goes to …
The End of All Flesh
The End of All Flesh 75) “Lord, make me to know my end,” said David before the Creator. There are two ends—one to the right and one to the left. There are two ways for people to walk by to the world of truth. There is an end to the …
Shrill Your Voice, Poor of Anatot
Shrill Your Voice, Poor of Anatot 84) “Shrill your voice, daughter of Gallim, listen, Laishah, poor of Anatot.” This was said about the Assembly of Israel, Malchut. “Shrill your voice, daughter of Gallim” is the daughter of Abraham the patriarch. It is “Abba established a daughter.” It is Hesed that …
That Jew
That Jew 94) As they were walking, they saw a Jew approaching them. Rabbi Yosi said, “That man is Jewish, for he looks like a Jew.” When he reached them, they asked him who he was. He told them, “I am a messenger of good deeds. We dwell in the …
The Offering
The Offering 118) Did “the end of all flesh,” the Sitra Achra, enjoy the offerings that Israel were sacrificing on the altar? They were all being satisfied together, both above and below. 119) Priests, Levites, and Israelites, which are three lines, are called “man” [Adam] by connecting these holy desires …
I Lifted Up My Hands in Prayer
I Lifted Up My Hands in Prayer 122) Rabbi Shimon said, “I lifted up my hands in prayer.” He came to disclose the manner of emanation of GAR of AA, called Keter, Mocha [brain] of air and MS. But how do we ascend to RADLA, to Ein Sof, who is …
And I Bring a Flood of Water - 1
And I Bring a Flood of Water - 1 134) “And I, behold, I bring the flood of water.” What is the reason that He says “I” after He has already said, “And I”? Wherever it is written “I,” it becomes a Guf to the Neshama, meaning I, the Nukva, …
I Said, “I Will Not See the Lord”
I Said, “I Will Not See the Lord” 138) How obtuse are people, for they do not know and do not notice the words of Torah, but look at worldly matters, and the spirit of wisdom is forgotten from them. 139) When a person departs from this world and reports …
And I Bring the Flood of Water - 2
And I Bring the Flood of Water - 2 148) It is written, “These are the waters of quarreling, where the children of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and sanctified in them.” Did the children of Israel not quarrel with the Creator elsewhere? What is different here that it says, …
And I Will Establish My Covenant
And I Will Establish My Covenant 153) “And I will establish My covenant with you.” This seems to mean that the keeping of the covenant of above is as the keeping of the covenant of below. A covenant is Yesod. Keeping the covenant is coupling of ZON. “And I will …
And He Healed the Ruined Altar of the Lord
And He Healed the Ruined Altar of the Lord 157) In the days of Elijah, all of Israel left the Creator. They left their holy covenant. When Elijah came and saw that the children of Israel had left the holy covenant, and the covenant had been lifted from them, he …
Come You and All Your Household
Come You and All Your Household 164) “And the Lord said to Noah, ‘Come you and all your household into the ark.’” In all the writings here, it is said God. In this verse, the name HaVaYaH [Lord] is written, the upper name of mercy. However, it is not customary …
The Earth Is the Lord's, and All that Fills It
The Earth Is the Lord's, and All that Fills It 168) “For David, a psalm: The earth is the Lord's, and all that fills it; the world, and its dwellers.” “For David, a psalm” indicates that he was citing poetry, and afterward the spirit of holiness was on him. If …
The Wicked Perish from the World
The Wicked Perish from the World 174) At that time, when the wicked perish from the world, the Creator looks at the world and does not see who will protect them. But Noah, who had to protect his generation at the time of the flood and produce offspring for the …
The Difference between Moses and the Rest of the World
The Difference between Moses and the Rest of the World 179) “Who leads the arm of His glory by Moses’ right.” “The arm of His glory” is Abraham’s merit, Hesed, who is at Moses’ right, the Tifferet of Moses. That is, Moses is Tifferet, and Hesed is at Moses’ right. …
And Noah Went into the Ark
And Noah Went into the Ark 194) “‘Can a man hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?’ says the Lord.” How coldhearted and blind are people? They do not look and do not know the glory of their Master, of whom it is written, “But I …
And Lifted Up the Ark
And Lifted Up the Ark 204) Woe to them, to the wicked, who are sinners and anger their Maker each day. With their sins they repel the Shechina from the earth and cause her to depart from the world. The Shechina is called Elokim [God], and it is written about …
And He Blotted Out the Universe that Was Upon the Face of the Ground
And He Blotted Out the Universe that Was Upon the Face of the Ground 211) “And He blotted out the universe that was upon the face of the ground.” The text comes to include all those rulers who rule and the appointees over the earth, meaning the angels appointed over …
And God Remembered Noah
And God Remembered Noah 213) “The shrewd sees evil and hides.” That verse is written about Noah, who entered the ark and hid in it. He entered the ark when the water was pressing him. Before he entered the ark, he saw the angel of death walking among them and …
And Noah Built an Altar
And Noah Built an Altar 228) “And Noah built an altar for the Lord.” This is the altar on which Adam HaRishon sacrificed. Why did Noah sacrifice a burnt offering, since a burnt offering comes only to atone for thoughts of the heart, and what was Noah’s sin? Noah contemplated …
And the Lord Smelled the Sweet Fragrance
And the Lord Smelled the Sweet Fragrance 233) It is written, “And the Lord smelled the sweet fragrance.” It is also written, “A burnt offering made by fire, of a sweet fragrance.” The word Isheh [translated as “made by fire”] means that smoke and fire are joined as one, since …
And God Blessed Noah
And God Blessed Noah 248) “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no sadness with it.” The blessing of the Creator is the Shechina, who was appointed over the blessings of the world, and from her emerge the blessings to all. 249) “And the Lord said to …
And the Fear of You and the Dread of You
And the Fear of You and the Dread of You 252) “And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every animal of the earth.” Henceforth, you will have the form of people from whom the animals of the field fear, as prior to the sin …
I Have Set My Bow in the Cloud
I Have Set My Bow in the Cloud 261) “And God said to Noah, ‘I have set My bow in the cloud.’” “Have set” means that He has set before, since a bow is a foundation stone, and a foundation stone was set even before the world was created, since …
This Stone, which I Have Set Up as a Pillar
This Stone, which I Have Set Up as a Pillar 273) “This stone, which I have set up as a pillar will be the house of God.” The stone is a foundation stone, from which the world was planted and on which the Temple was built. 274) But the foundation …
The Sons of Noah Who Came Out of the Ark Were...
The Sons of Noah Who Came Out of the Ark Were... 293) Because it is written, “The sons of Noah ... were,” why is it written, “Who came out of the ark”? Can it be that he had other children, who did not come out of the ark? 294) Indeed, …
These Three Sons of Noah
These Three Sons of Noah 302) These three sons of Noah are the persistence of the entire world. Persistence means the Mochin of the Nukva, called “world.” They are the persistence of the upper one, the Mochin in Bina, and from these the whole earth dispersed, for all the souls …
And Noah Began and Planted a Vineyard
And Noah Began and Planted a Vineyard 307) “And Noah the farmer began and planted a vineyard.” The sages are disputed about it. One says that the vineyard was expelled from the Garden of Eden, and he planted it in the ground. Another said that the vineyard was in the …
Bat-Sheba and Uriah
Bat-Sheba and Uriah 312) “For I know my transgressions; and my sin is always before me.” Indeed, how people should beware of the Creator with their iniquities. For once a man has sinned, his iniquity is written above and is erased only by the power of great repentance. 313) Since …
He Was a Mighty Hunter before the Lord
He Was a Mighty Hunter before the Lord 320) “He was a mighty hunter before the Lord.” This is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.” He was a mighty man and wore the garments of Adam HaRishon. He knew how to hunt in them …
And the House, While It Was Being Built
And the House, While It Was Being Built 323) “And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech.” It is written, “And the house, while it was being built, was built of a complete stone, a journey, and neither hammer nor ax nor any iron tool was …
עיר ומגדל
A City and a Tower 335) It is written, “And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech.” All the doubled organs, such as eyes, ears, and lips, come from the incorporation of the two points—Bina and Malchut—in one another, one from Bina and one from Malchut. …
The Gate of the Inner Court
The Gate of the Inner Court 361) “Thus says the Lord God, ‘The gate of the inner court facing east shall be closed the six secular [working] days.’” Why should it be closed? 362) However, these are the weekdays, and this gate will be closed so as to not use …
And the Lord said, “Behold, They Are One People”
And the Lord said, “Behold, They Are One People” 368) “And the Lord said, ‘Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language.’” Because they are all as one, in unity, they will do and succeed in their works. Therefore, each degree will be dispersed to its own …