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Concerning the Replaceable
91. Concerning the Replaceable
I heard on Nisan 9, April 18, 1948
In The Zohar he explains the reason why Reuben was born to Leah while he was thinking of Rachel during the act. The law is that if he thinks of another, the child is called “replaceable.” The Zohar explains that since he was thinking of Rachel, and he thought that it really was Rachel, and replaceable means that his thought was of Rachel and of the act, he knew that it was Leah. However, here his thought was of Rachel and of the act, and he thought that it really was Rachel.
He explained that in spirituality, it is known that they are as seal and imprint, where each degree is sealed by its upper degree. And the conduct of seals and imprints is that they are always opposites: The imprint is always opposite from the seal. It follows that what is considered Klipa [shell] in Beria is Kedusha [holiness] in Yetzira, and what is Kedusha in Yetzira is Klipa in Assiya.
Therefore, if the righteous is united in some degree, he certainly unites with the Kedusha in the degree. And if, during the act, he thinks of another degree, and what is considered Kedusha in that degree is considered Klipa in another degree, it is therefore called “replaceable.” That means that the offspring of this unification is replaceable because the degrees are opposite from one another.
Jacob, however, was thinking of Rachel, meaning of the Kedusha in the quality of Rachel. And of the act, he also thought that it was Rachel. Hence, both the thought was of the Kedusha in Rachel, and the act intended to be the degree of Rachel. Therefore, there is no discernment of Leah here, to be considered replaceable.